Albin  Putzker 


I   L-t^ 


' 


*S  DAUGHTER. 


A    POEM 


BY 


DENTON  J.  SNIDER. 

Author  of  "A   Walk  in  Hellas"   "Delphic  Days"  etc. 


BOSTON: 

JAMES   K.    OSGOOD    &    Co., 
*  1885. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1885, 

by  DENTON  J.  SNIDEK,  in  the  Office  of  the 

Librarian  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


CONTENTS. 


CANTO  I—  IPHIGENIA  AT  MYCENAE. 

The  Loves. 

CANTO  II—  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS.— 

The  Sacrifice. 


CANTO  III—  IPHIGENIA  AT 

The  Mission. 


CANTO  IV.—  IPHIGENIA  AT   DELPHI 

The  Return. 


INSCRIBED 

To  mine  own  only  daughter,  still  young,  but  old 
enough  to  be  deeply  sympathetic  with  this  story  of 
Agamemnon's  daughter,  and  often  recalled,  between 
lines,  in  strong  compassion  for  the  father  by  the 

FATHER. 


CANTO  I. 


IPHIGENIA  AT  MYCENAE. 


IT  was  a  golden  day  around  the  towers 
Of  rich  Mycenae  with  her  crown  of  stone  ; 
The  Spring  danced  up  the  hill  with  lap  of  flowers, 
Which  she  through  all  the  blooming  plain  had  strown ; 
The  fragrant  wind  did  flute  his  sweetest  tone 
Amid  the  bending  branches  of  the  tree; 

On  every  grassy  plot  Love  built  a  throne, 
The  time  was  full  of  Heaven's  minstrelsy. 


II. 
Around,  the  youthful  city's  swelling  breast 

Was  drawn  a  wall,  a  moveless  rocky  band, 
Whose  heavy  clasp  her  heart  within  had  pressed, 

Without  had  kept  each  wanton,  lustful  hand; 

Still  every  breeze  strewed  kisses  through  the  land, 
And  tender  speechless  missives  on  their  way 

Fell  down  the  air,  by  Aphrodite  fanned, 
And  all  declared  it  was  a  golden  day. 

+ 

in. 

Than  broke  upon  the  sight  a  pageant  new 

Across  the  grainfields  by  the  sunlit  sea, 
Whora  many  a  sail  swan- winged  over  the  blue 

Far-quivering  main  was  floating  airily; 

That  pageant  soon  a  troop  was  seen  to  be, 
Swimming  upon  the  golden  stream  of  morn; 

A  youthful  troop  of  argent  chivalry, 
With  blazons  strange  bedight  and  Orient-born. 


CANTO  L  I 

IV. 

Paris  of  Troy  the  foremost  lord  was  hight, 
The  fairest  youth  of  all  the  Trojan  land, 

Within  his  face  he  bore  a  sunrise  bright, 

The  curls  danced  round  his  neck  in  many  a  strand, 
A  feathery  touch  slept  in  his  tender  hand, 

Love's  smiles  played  from  his  lips  into  his  eye 
Which  coldly  thence  its  charmed  object  scanned, 

Could  sing  to  harp  sweet  strains  of  poesy. 

v. 

And  with  him  many  Trojan  gallants  came 

With  lightsome  heads  and  lively  hearts,  save  one 
Who  Antenorides  was  called  by  name, 

Of  noble  father  the  still  nobler  son; 

He  left  in  Troy  a  dame  whom  he  had  won, 
Who  unto  him,  as  he  to  her,  was  true; 

But  his  great  love  could  never  sadness  shun, 
For  his  deep  soul  presaged  the  day  of  rue. 


0  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

VI. 

The  town  caine  forth  to  see  that  troop  of  kings 

In  shining  pomp  and  grand  festivity; 
The  altars  smoked  with  fragrant  offerings, 

And  through  the  streets  processions  moved  in  glee, 

Chariots  dashed  down  the  hill  into  the  lea, 
The  merry  stream  poured  out  the  Lion's  Gate, 

Thrown  open  was  old  Atreus'  treasury, 
And  ancient  fanes  shone  forth  in  golden  state. 

• 

VII. 

King  Agamemnon  moved  with  gracious  cheer, 
He  was  a  lordly  man,  not  old,  not  young ; 

His  word  was  always  musical  to  hear, 
A  gold-bossed  scepter  in  his  hand  he  swung, 
While  honeyed  speech  dropped  from  his  fluent  to  r>gue 

"Pour  out  thy  heart  with  us,  oh  noble  guest, 
This  stay  of  thine  shall  not  remain  unsung, 

Not  all  of  ours  be  thine,  but  all  our  best. 


CANTO  I. 

VIII. 

''Thy  glorious  name  before  thee  crossed  the  sea, 

Thy  gracious  form,  the  sweetness  of  thy  word; 
Friends  with  the  Trojan  folk  I  fain  would  be, 

And  knit  a  bond  whereof  no  soul  has  heard; 

Deep  in  my  heart  to-day  I  am  bestirred 
To  break  the  barrier  of  you  blue  salt  flood; 

See  there !  above  us  wheels  the  favoring  bird 
To  join  all  Hellenes  in  one  brotherhood." 

IX. 

A  look  he  cast  upon  his  daughter  fair, 

Iphigenia,  stainless  at  his  side; 
The  moment  Paris  bent  his  glances  there, 

She  hung  her  head,  her  eyes  to  earth  she  tied, 

The  stranger's  look  she  could  not  well  abide; 
She  turned  away  and  hurried  through  the  crowd, 

For  in  some  secret  nook  she  thought  to  hide, 
Far  from  the  festival  and  tumult  loud. 


A  GAMEMNO^  'S  DA  UGHTER. 


Back  of  the  court  she  had  a  garden  seat, 

Where  she  had  nourished  many  a  loving  flower; 

These  were  her  friends  whom  daily  she  would  meet 
To  hold  mute  converse  for  the  passing  hour, 
And  over  them  she  held  a  gentle  power; 

Oft  would  they  seem  to  bloom  her  future  ways, 
Of  pain  and  pleasure  all  the  motley  shower, 

The  silent  destiny  in  fairest  days. 

XI. 

To  his  high  palace  Agamemnon  sped, 
He  set  before  his  guests  a  banquet  rare, 

The  wine  soon  Hashed  each  face  with  sunsets  red, 
The  courtly  tongues  were  cloyed  with  dainty  fare : 
Many  an  Argive  chieftain  too  was  there, 

Out  high-hilled  cities  of  the  land  they  came, 
And  mingled  with  the  Trojans^  killing  care, 

And  much  they  honored  the  great  Prince's  name. 


CANTO  I. 

XII. 

Paris  led  off  in  festive  merriment, 

His  Trojans  well  the  beaded  cup  could  tease; 
Their  song  of  wine  with  that  of  women  blent 

Revealed  the  heart  in  all  its  hid  degrees; 

But  other  strains  heard  Antenorides, 
As  he  sat  by  and  the  mad  revel  saw; 

For  in  the  wine  he  could  behold  the  lees, 
And  could  in  license  read  avenging  law. 

XIII. 

Yet  one  relief  he  had  of  suffering, 
A  single  bliss  in  Hellas  he  could  find, 

It  was  to  see  the  daughter  of  the  king, 
She  raised  to  life  within  his  boding  mind 
The  image  of  the  Love  he  left  behind, 

And  darted  through  him  gleams  of  happiness 
For  one  sweet  hour;  but  then  again  he  pined, 

And  saw  his  lady  pallid  in  distress. 


10  A  GAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTER. 

XIV. 

A  bard  there  was  who  in  the  palace  sang, 
An  aged  holy  man  who  much  had  seen; 

Of  sorrow  he  had  known  the  deepest  pang, 
Of  joy  he  felt  the  finest  rapture,  keen 
Within  his  soul  full  strung;  at  Thebes  had  been 

Twice  with  the  seven  Argive  chiefs,  who  sought 
By  the  pure  fire  to  make  that  city  clean 

Of  its  Cadmeian  taint  from  Asia  brought. 

xv. 
Defeat  and  victory  had  been  his  life, 

Once  he  had  lost  at  Thebes  his  chieftains  all; 
Then  he  beheld  renewed  the  deadly  strife, 

And  the  proud  town  one  heap  of  ashes  fall, 

Of  changeful  destiny  he  was  the  thrall, 
His  heart  became  a  harp  of  many  strings 

Which  Fate  would  strike  to  make  her  madrigal, 
Whence  sparkles  fell  of  all  melodious  things. 


CANTO  L  1J 

XVI. 

Tlie  Muses  gave  to  him  a  voice  divine 

The  famous  deed  heroical  to  sing; 
He  put  a  Grecian  soul  in  every  line, 

Which  all  the  world  to  harmony  did  bring, 

And  see  its  image  in  the  smallest  thing; 
But  what  his  people  felt,  he  saw  with  eyes, 

He  flew  before  them  high  on  eagle's  wing, 
Discerned  the  speck  across  the  furthest  skies. 

xvn. 
He  felt  the  struggle  coming  on  afar, 

The  burden  of  his  song  was  Zeus's  hest; 
He  knew  that  in  the  Trojan  lay  the  war 

Which  Greek  must  end  by  voyages  unblest, 

And  by  a  ten  years'  time  of  wild  unrest; 
That  bard — he  was  a  man  born  into  all, 

His  glance  he  threw  behind  the  mountain  crest, 
Where  he  the  Future  saw  and  heard  it  call. 


12  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  VGHTER. 

XVIII. 

To  Agamemnon  now  these  words  lie  spake : 

"I  bear  to  tliee  my  heavy  thought,  oh  king; 
To-day  I  fear  thou  wilt  thyself  unmake 

By  thy  too  vast  ambitious  reckoning; 

Across  the  seas  thy  fancy  skims  its  wing, 
While  one  now  walks  thy  court  in  silent  quest 

The  jewel  of  our  Greece  to  Troy  to  bring: 
That  man  beware,  beware  the  fateful  guest. 

XIX. 

"I  saw  him  in  my  dazzled  dream  last  night 

Fulfil  the  perfect  circle  of  his  deed; 
What  is  already  done,  was  but  a  mite, 

A  little  point  flashed  with  a  burning  glede ; 

More  swiftly  ran  the  point  than  any  steed 
As  it  sped  round  to  what  was  next  to  be; 

The  Future  slid  into  my  vision,  freed 
From  that  dark  line  which  is  Time's  boundary. 


CANTO  I.  13 

xx. 
"High  over  Trey  tliat  point  a  blaze  became, 

It  lit  and  flared  on  Paris'  pregnant  sail, 
The  raving  Hellespont  upsprang  in  flame, 

Outburning  all  Jove's  lightning  and  the  gale ; 

Into  Mycenae  swept  the  fiery  trail, 
Then  back  it  streamed  with  tenfold  passion  dire ; 

The  sea-foam,  Aphrodite's  mother  pale, 
Flamed  round  the  ship  and  set  the  waves  on  fire. 

XXI. 

"In  his  returning  ship  I  saw  to  be 

What  brings  to  sons  of  men  the  most  delight, 
The  highest  prize  of  lofty  minstrelsy, 

The  soul  that  thrills  into  the  sense  of  sight, 

A  look  that  seems  to  set  the  world  in  light; 
Then  many  warriors  follow  on  the  wave, 

They  fill  a  plain  and  soon  begin  a  fight 
The  stolen  prize  of  their  own  land  to  save." 


14  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTER. 

XXII. 

To  him  replies  then  Agamemnon  proud: 

"Great  now  in  Hellas  is  my  sovereign  power! 

Of  men  to  serve  I  cannot  count  the  crowd, 
Of  islands  of  the  sea  I  have  the  flower, 
Beneath  this  scepter  wild  Arcadians  cower, 

The  Isthmus  joins  two  mighty  seas  for  me, 
Two  continents  it  joins  in  one  high  tower 

Which  shows  me  forth  to  rule  all  Barbary. 

XXIII. 

"But  now  I  bend  my  look  across  the  sea, 
This  day  to  Asia  I  shall  reach  my  hand, 

And  of  Troy's  citadel  the  taker  be, 

And  towns  and  fields  until  the  Phrygian  land, 
By  that  which  I  have  in  my  bosom  planned; 

To  Priam's  son  I  shall  my  daughter  wed, 
Troy  and  Mycenae  shall  together  stand, 

Or  shall  together  lie  with  cities  dead." 


CANTO  I.  15 

XXIV. 

Forthright  the  father  sought  that  garden  spot, 
His  daughter's  mind  in  gentle  wise  to  test, 

He  found  her  deep  within  a  darksome  grot, 
Where  but  a  single  sunbeam,  doubly  blest 
Played  down  her  forehead  and  her  lips  caressed: 

"Why  hast  thou  fled  away  beyond  my  call  ? 
Fill  up  the  festal  day  with  thy  full  zest, 

Prince  Paris  now  awaits  tliee  in  the  hall." 

xxv. 

Iphigeiiia  was  a  maiden  rare, 

Upon  the  world  she  gazed  with  deep  blue  eyes, 
Wherein  it  melted  to  a  vision  fair, 

And  rose  with  music  sweet  unto  the  skies, 

As  Earth  might  turn  a  sudden  Paradise; 
It  was  her  gift  to  change  the  small  and  bad 

Into  a  boundless  world  of  charities, 
Yet  in  her  glance  a  suffering  she  had. 


16  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXVI. 

Of  the  rich  summer  time  she  was  the  flower 
That  dwells  beside  the  wild,  far-Hashing  sea; 

To  look  beyond  she  had  a  subtle  power, 
A  gleam  she  threw  into  infinity 
And  there  another  world  could  plainly  see; 

She  looked  upon  a  man  without  a  motion, 
Born  in  her  glance  was  all  he  was  to  be, 

His  hidden  genius  on  its  hidden  ocean. 

XXVII. 

Gentle  the  maiden  spoke  her  word,  but  strong: 

"The  stranger  who  has  come  from  Troy  to-day- 
Father,  I  would  not  do  him  any  wrong,     . 

But  when  I  think  of  him,  I  cannot  pray 

To  purest  Artemis  who  is  my  stay; 
His  glances  light  the  air  but  to  cajole, 

To  heart  he  never  will  a  heart  repay, 
Cannot  believe  he  loves  one  human  soul." 


CANTO  I. 

XXVIII. 

The  father  quenched  his  angry  flush,  and  smiled: 
"Oh  let  no  more  the  winds  foreboding  sigh 

Through  all  thy  young  and  sunny  days,  my  child ! 
Let  minutes  now  be  mad,  and  wildly  fly 
Hound  thee  and  Paris  mid  our  revelry. 

Not  often  such  a  day  shines  on  our  towers ! 
The  ancient  Sun  upon  our  stones  doth  lie, 

And  pours  the  city  full  of  golden  hours." 

XXIX. 

He  turned  because  he  heard  the  trumpet  blare 
Hurrying  to  his  ear  leap  after  leap, 

As  if  a  war  steed  galloped  through  the  air, 
Bearing  a  message  o'er  a  mountain  steep, 
To  rouse  the  soldier  011  his  guard  asleep; 

The  king  in  haste  turned  back  to  find  his  guest, 
But  he  could  catch  a  word  that  he  should  keep, 

A  woful  word  torn  out  his  daughter's  breast: 


18  A GAMEMNON'8  DA  UGHTEE. 

XXX. 

"I  feel  my  foe  lias  come  and  I  shall  reap 
The  harvest  ripe  which  he  this  day  will  sow ; 

For  deed  of  his  I  long  shall  have  to  weep, 
As  Ida's  maids  now  melt  the  mountain  snow 
"With  tears  for  his  deep  wrongs:  I  shall  not  go 

With  him  to  Troy;  oh  let  me  die  forlorn 

In  Greece !  To  me  and  mine  he  is  the  foe, 

And  I  proclaim,  the  foe  to  Time  unborn." 

XXXI. 

There  stands  high  up  above  the  town  a  fane 

Whose  marble  front  peeps  out  the  thicket  green, 

And  every  stone  a  softened  tint  hath  ta'en, 
Purer  than  any  pearl  was  ever  seen, 
Washed  in  the  waters  of  an  ocean  clean  ; 

The  leaflets  flutter  noiseless  round  the  side, 
The  tree-tops  to  the  roof  do  fondly  lean, 

The  jewel  of  the  wood  within  to  hide. 


CANTO  L  19 

XXXII. 

The  timid  deer  sports  there  without  alarm, 
The  wary  bird  can  there  no  trapper  fear, 

It  was  a  spot  where  man  dared  do  no  harm, 
Peace  reign eth  in  that  wood  the  entire  year, 

^ 

The  fountains  modest  joy  one  scarce  will  hear, 
As  it  wells  out  beneath  a  root  of  might, 

And  trails  in  crystal  pure  a  leaflet  sere, 
Or  paints  a  tender  stain  on  pebble  white. 

XXXIII. 

In  secret  soon  the  maiden  thither  fled, 

Following  the  transparent  happy  rill, 
That  to  the  fane  up  in  the  greenwood  led 

Along  a  channel  sweet  with  many  a  trill, 

Whereby  she  moved  through  music  up  the  hill; 
A  pretty  fawn  she  saw  within  a  grot 

To  slake  its  thirst  beside  the  forest  still, 
Then  pass  before  her  to  the  sacred  spot 


20  AGAMEMNON  fS  DA  UGHTER. 

XXXIV. 

It  was  a  pretty  dappled  timid  thing 

That  trembled  to  its  silvery  spots  of  hair, 
Then  faded  from  the  margent  of  the  spring, 

As  if  it  saw  within  the  waters  there 

Some  ugly  image  of  a  brutish  bear; 
But  as  it  fled,  it  ran  into  a  cloud 

Whence  flowed  soft  strains  upon  the  forest  air, 
Of  flute  and  song  mid  rustling  of  a  crowd. 

xxxv. 
At  once  broke  out  of  music  to  the  glance 

Bright  wreaths  of  maidens  floating  in  the  breeze, 
And  to  the  strain  they  soon  began  a  dance 

Upon  the  vacant  air  and  through  the  trees; 

But  scarce  the  eye  their  fleeting  shapes  could  seiz* 
Until  they  wheeled  above  the  secret  fane, 

Hovering  down  the  sky  they  dropped  with  ease, 
While  to  a  distant  lull  had  died  the  strain. 


CANTO  I.  21 

XXXVI, 

This  was  the  home  of  Dian,  these  her  woods, 
Where  oft  the  Goddess  rested  from  the  chase, 

When  she  amid  the  sylvan  solitudes 

Had  led  her  choir  in  the  tumultuous  race, 
And  of  that  sport  the  air  felt  long  the  trace, 

Though  the  gay  rout  had  faded  all  away; 

It  was  the  soft  worn  heart's  own  resting  place, 

Far  from  the  town,  and  the  bold  stare  of  day, 

XXXVIL 
A  billowy  moon-tipped  play  of  fold  on  fold 

Waved  through  the  middle  of  the  multitude  ; 
The  wreath  was  broke,  and  one  might  then  behold 

A  form  that  stepped  into  the  fane  and  stood, 

While  all  the  train  of  Nymphs  fled  through  the  wood, 
Some  to  delight  in  oaks  and  some  in  water ; 

Then  spake  the  queen  of  that  sweet  sisterhood 
In  fond  low  tones  to  Agamemnon's  daughter: 


22  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

xxxvm. 

"Beware  the  handsome  man  within  thy  walls ! 

His  eyes'  soft  sunbeams  are  a  sea  of  ill, 
Within  his  slippery  words  lie  many  falls 

For  those  who  touch  the  circle  of  his  will ; 

Float  not  upon  the  raptured  waves  that  thrill 
Out  of  his  being,  by  Aphrodite's  breath 

Stirred  to  a  frenzy  that  the  world  shall  fill, 
And  sweep  the  woman  with  the  man  to  death. 

xxxix. 
"Thee  have  I  chosen  for  another  deed, 

Thou  art  to  be  the  vase  of  suffering ; 
The  Trojan  love  shall  never  be  thy  meed, 

But  a  new  love  thy  life  to  light  will  bring ; 

And  yet  thou  too  wilt  not  escape  the  sting 
Which  the  high  Gods  in  greatest  deed  bestow ; 

For  states,  for  worlds  thou  art  the  offering, 
But  I  shall  save  thee  at  the  last  sharp  blow. 


CANTO  L  S 

XL. 

"And  I  shall  bear  thee  to  a  foreign  land, 
Where  thou  a  holy  priestess  art  to  be 

Within  my  temple  on  the  wild  sea's  strand, 
Where  broods  a  world  of  slavish  savagery, 
Wrhich  is,  through  deed  of  thine,  to  be  made  free. 

This  is  the  Love  which  now  in  thee  hath  gleamed, 
And  not  before  thou  hast  brought  liberty 

Unto  that  land,  art  thou  thyself  redeemed. 

XLI. 
"Oh  virgin,  I  am  Artemis,  the  Queen, 

I  roam  the  wood,  I  ramble  in  the  sky; 
My  silver  bow  hung  there  thou  oft  hast  seen, 

Illuming  night  with  modest  purity; 

To  thee  of  all  mankind  I  feel  most  nigh, 
Upon  my  path  in  Heaven  the  brightest  star 

Is  thine,  dispensing  light  to  Barbary; 
Go  forth  and  softly  shine  with  me  afar. 


24  A  GAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTER. 

XLII. 

"After  long  years  to  this  old  home  of  thine, 

The  Hellas  new,  thou  shalt  in  joy  return; 
My  brother  Phoebus  calls  thee  to  his  shrine, 

Where  thou  wilt  teach  the  world  what  it  must  learn, 

A  duty  new  in  living  to  discern; 
By  thee  his  seeress,  shall  his  fane  be  trod, 

A  higher  priesthood  will  thy  exile  earn, 
From  me  thou  wilt  ascend  to  wisest  God. 

XLIII. 
"There  on  old  rocky  Pytho's  deep-cleft  crest 

In  light  thou  shalt  sit  down  v.iili  voice  renewed, 
When  the  great  war  is  over,  and  holy  rest 

Settles  upon  the  land  in  golden  mood 

Of  sun  and  song  and  blissful  plenitude  ; 
The  far  Barbarian's  wisdom  thou  wilt  hoard 

To  bring  to  Hellas  as  her  final  good; 
Restoring  her,  thou  art  thyself  restored." 


CANTO  I.  25 

XLIV. 

The  Goddess  vanished  from  the  maiden's  look, 

But  left  her  in  the  glimmer  of  a  dawn 
Through  which  did  faint  away  the  tuneful  brook, 

And  through  whose  milky  haze  she  saw  the  fawn 
Dart  trembling  from  the  wood  across  a  lawn, 

By  men  pursued  with  axes  flashing  bright, 

Till  in  the  rosy  distance  it  was  drawn 
Behind  the  hills,  whence  shot  anew  the  light. 

XLV. 
There  long  she  stayed,  nor  did  her  people  know 

Whither  the  maid  this  merry  while  had  fled; 
Meantime  Mycenae  had  an  overflow 

Of  earth  below  and  heaven  overhead, 

Of  wine  and  sunshine  which  all  golden  shed 
Upon  that  happy  feast  their  richest  showers, 

And  lightly  mid  the  throng  the  Muses  led 
And  lulled  to  rest  the  swiftly-stepping  hours. 


26  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTER. 

XLVI. 

It  was  a  time  of  sweet  forgetfulness, 

When  Lethe  hands  to  men  her  deepest  draught, 
For  which  full  pay  she  asks — a  fierce  distress 

When  they  awake  and  feel  the  poisoned  shaft, 

Whereof  there  is  no  cure  in  human  craft, 
But  in  hot  blood-drops  gurgling  from  war's  blow, 

When  Furies  have  upon  the  nations  laughed 
Their  diabolic  scorn  and  overthrow. 

XLVII. 
Ah  yes,  it  was  a  merry  cheery  time, 

Paris  the  gallant  Trojan  conquered  all, 
His  Asian  tongue  could  lisp  a  Grecian  chime, 

And  sweetest  accents  mingle  in  its  fall ; 

E'en  mother  Clytemnestra  was  a  thrall 
Of  that  soft  spell  which  men  were  fain  to  own; 

He  made  the  people  whisper,  great  and  small, 
"Look  !  he  has  stolen  Aphrodite's  zone". 


CANTO  I.  27 

XL  VIII. 

Each  minstrel  sought  to  sing  his  bravest  song 

Of  heroes  great  and  the  heroic  deed; 
Of  war  between  the  Gods  and  Giants  strong, 

Of  captive  maid  by  doughty  warrior  freed, 

Of  hearts  that  must  with  all  men's  sorrow  bleed, 
Of  Theseus  bold,  of  suffering  Hercules 

Who  hath  of  heroes  won  the  golden  meed, 
As  he  who  can  endure  until  himself  he  frees. 

XLIX. 
But  the  one  song  that  people  heard  above 

All  others  sung  upon  that  fatal  day 
With  maddest  sting — it  was  the  song  of  love. 

From  every  street  uprose  the  dulcet  lay, 

Tingling  the  blood  to  fancy's  tricksy  play, 
And  hymning  viewless  nets  by  Eros  wove, 

Which  tangled  mortals  in  the  fateful  fray 
And  caught  the  highest  God,  old  father  Jove. 


28  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

L. 

Oh  Antenorides,  what  silence  deep 
Broods  over  thee  amid  the  festival  I 

He  marked  a  moving  eye  that  knew  no  sleep, 
He  heard  Cassandra's  far  forewarning  call 
Through  revel  moan  like  distant  waterfall; 

Many  a  ghostly  shape  before  him  stood, 
And  drew  a  bloody  sign  upon  the  wall 

Mid  whisperings  low:  It  cannot  come  to  good. 

LI. 
But  look  beyond,  there  comes  a  distant  train 

Slow-winding  over  the  blue  Arcadian  hills, 
Like  a  sea-serpent  of  the  richest  stain 

It  swims  and  every  heart  with  beauty  thrills, 

Yet  with  prophetic  flashings  of  its  ills; 
It  rears  its  crest  above  the  verdant  height, 

The  little  vales  with  lambent  streak  it  fills, 
Swimming  the  landwaves  green  into  the  sight. 


CANTO  L  29 

LII. 

In  gorgeous  curves  rolled  on  the  beauteous  tiling, 
As  it  unfolded  in  the  haze  of  afternoon, 

And  sweet  delirious  currents  it  did  bring 
Into  the  eye,  and  make  the  daylight  swoon 
Away  to  dreamy  glimmers  of  the  moon; 

But  in  the  sky  above  there  hung  a  frown, 
A  cloud  that  made  a  dismal  threat,  but  soon 

That  cloud  had  melted  to  a  golden  crown. 

on. 

T  was  Helen  coming  up  from  Lacedemon, 
In  bright  Mycenae's  joy  awhile  to  stay, 

And  see  the  festival  of  Agamemnon, 
The  song,  the  dance,  and  the  procession  gay 
With  the  sweet  bloom  of  manhood  in  its  May; 

Iphigenia's  aunt  by  birth  was  she, 
The  two  belong  together  in  my  lay, 

Twinned  deep  in  storied  old  calamity. 


30  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LIV. 

But  now  she  comes,  the  glorious  Spartan  Helen, 
Into  the  Argive  plain  she  bursts  like  clay, 

And  with  her  a  new  world  for  men  to  dwell  in, 
Life,  weary  theme,  becomes  a  happy  play, 
To  Gods  serene  is  turned  the  human  clay, 

Of  an  Elysian  change  she  hath  the  power, 

Beneath  her  glance  each  tree  throws  out  a  spray, 

And  where  she  treads,  the  earth  sends  up  a  flower. 

LV. 
She  moves  in  Lions'  Gate,  the  fairest  woman; 

The  stony  Lions'  Heads  peep  out  their  lair 
Above  the  rock-built  portal,  with  traces  human 

Of  Love's  sweet  trouble  for  that  being  rare, 

Whom  they  within  the  walls  will  guard  with  care, 
As  they  the  city  guard  and  its  wise  laws; 

To  glances  soft  drops  down  their  savage  glare, 
And  tender-hearted  grow  ferocious  claws. 


CANTO  I. 

LVI. 

The  people  ope  her  way  along  tho  street, 
The  heroes  bold  take  on  an  humble  air, 

And  in  their  hearts  adore  that  shape  complete; 
The  children  stand  in  little  groups  and  stare, 
Wishing  that  th'ey  had  Helen's  golden  hair, 

Or  hand,  or  her  white  robe  of  fold  on  fold: 
Even  the  women  must  pronounce  her  fair, 

When  they  her  failings  all  had  scanned  and  told. 

LVTI. 
Within  the  walls  there  stands  a  palace  high, 

Whose  court  is  girt  with  many  columns  white, 
And  there  the  silver  fountains  gaily  ply 

The  fragrant  air  with  jets  of  crystal  bright, 

Or  send  along  the  sand  swift  streams  of  light, 
Wreathing  around  the  feet  of  boys  of  stone, 

Who  hold  their  torches  in  the  eye  of  night, 
Or  lean  beside  a  kingly  carven  throne. 


32  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTEE. 

Lvm. 
Those  graven  boys  will  stir  from  spot  to  spot, 

They  have  a  life  within  their  marble  breast, 
For  ever  fixed  in  motion  is  their  lot, 

Forever  moved  by  passion  is  their  rest ; 

So  has  their  Maker  on  their  form  impressed, 
With  heart-beats  all  his  own  a  double  soul, 

Which  he  himself  in  struggle  long  possessed, 
Ere  he  could  make  the  warring  twain  one  whole. 

LIX. 
Beneath  a  chiseled  shape  of  youthful  maid, 

Who  coyly  touched  with  dainty  finger  tip 
Her  own  chaste  bosom,  full  of  thoughts  unsaid 

Of  that  sweet  hour  which  brings  the  lip  to  lip, 

From  whose  deep  rubied  flower  lovers  sip 
Busy  as  bees — there  Helen  sat  in  state; 

Into  all  hearts  her  glances  slip 
Never  to  be  forgotten — it  is  their  fate. 


CANTO  I.  33 

LX. 

She  greets  the  thronging  heroes  one  by  one; 

Lord  Agamemnon  speaks  the  golden  word: 
"Hail,  Helen,  coming  like  the  singing  Sun; 

Through  tliee  what  lies  within  us  dark  or  blurred 

Breaks  out  the  brightest  strain  that  time  hath  heard; 
That  look  of  thine  shah1  be  forever  ours, 

And  thine  our  hearts,  for  thee  to  battle  stirred: 
Hear  while  we  swear  it,  ye  Olympian  Powers." 

LXI. 
All  shouted  loud  applause,  the  oath  they  swore, 

Heard  by  the  Gods  above  in  council  deep, 
Who  then  resolved  the  casket  to  outpour, 

Which,  full  of  evils,  they  beside  them  keep 

For  man,  lest  he  in  sloth  may  f  ah1  asleep, 
Or  may  for  fateful  deed  unpunished  go; 

Whereby  the  innocent  must  ever  weep, 
Yoked  with  the  guilty  in  the  chain  wo. 


34  A  GAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTEE. 

LXII. 

Meantime  from  Dian's  fane  within  the  wood 

The  maiden  Iphigenia  homeward  sped, 
And  soon  beside  the  restless  brook  she  stood 

Which  leaps  beneath  the  towers  to  its  bed; 

Many  a  thought  was  whirling  through  her  head 
Of  that  strange  life  of  hers  which  was  to  be; 

The  bodeful  words  the  Goddess  to  her  said, 
Fell  cascades  bright  down  to  a  dark-faced  sea. 

LXIII. 
She  passed  within  the  court  where  Helen  stood, 

Who  spake  to  her  full  sweetly  as  she  came; 
"Dear  Niece,  thou  h'ast  upon  thy  face  a  mood 

Which  calls  the  restless  world  by  a  new  name; 

Before  thee  I  confess  I  feel  a  shame 
That  I  cannot  attain  to  what  thou  art; 

How  gladly  would  I  change  for  thee  my  fame, 
And  in  my  life  feel  full  thy  steadfast  heart. 


CANTO  L  35 

LXIV. 

"Deep  longing  for  I  know  not  what  I  had; 

But  when  I  see  thee  I  am  whole  again; 
I  cannot  tell  what  makes  me  feel  so  sad, 

Oft  must  I  shed  my  tears  without  a  pain, 

Without  a  cloud  it  could  forever  rain; 
Oh  I  am  rent  in  twain,  I  can  but  wail, 

The  other  part  of  me  I  seek  in  vain, 
Methinks  thou  hast  it — tell  me  now  thy  tale." 

LXV. 
"I  have  no  tale,  oh  lovely  tears,"  she  saidf, 

"But  let  me  give  instead  this  little  ring, 
Within  doth  sleep  a   gem,  in  golden  bed, 

A  little  token  of  my  heart  I  bring; 

But  let  it  nestle  in  its  covering 
Lest  it  be  lost,  and  lose  its  setting  too; 

When  coming  trials  leave  in  thee  a  sting, 
Perchance  it  may  hint  help  to  bear  thee  through. 


36  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

LXVI. 

"  Ah  were  I  but  an  hour  so  fair  as  thou ! 

But  as  I  am  I  shall  contented  be; 
I  look  so  gladly  on  thy  beauteous  brow, 

And  yet  a  line  of  pain  I  there  can  see, 

An  agony  that  struggles  to  get  free. 
Can  suffering  interlock  with  beauty  so  ? 

At  whom  lookst  thou  ?   That  is  young  Paris,  he 
Who  came  from  Troy  to-day,  as  thou  mayst  know." 

LXVII. 
The  crowd  broke  in  with  noisy  reverence, 

Their  prayers  rapt  by  deep-lost  looks  to  say 
Before  that  form  divine ;  without  defence, 

Iphigenia  lone  was  swept  away 

On  living  surges  crazy  with  delay; 
Many  a  gallant  Greek  crushed  in,  one  glance 

To  get  far  dearer  to  him  than  the  day, 
And  stood  in  worship  sunk  as  if  trance. 


CANTO  L 

Lxvin. 
And  Paris  came  and  the  full  Trojan  band, 

To  gaze  on  her  whom  men  agreed  to  call 
The  fairest  woman  of  the  Grecian  land, 

With  them  a  guest  now  in  Mycenae's  hall, 

And  Helen  had  a  winsome  word  for  all; 
But  when  on  Paris  she  had  turned  her  look, 

Each  was  the  other's  victor  and  the  thrall, 
Each  read  the  other's  fate  as  in  a  book. 

LXIX. 
But  hark !  the  bard  begins  a  song  in  praise 

Of  Argive  Helen,  Lacedemon's  Queen; 
Strong  are  the  words  whereof  he  builds  his  lays, 

And  sweet  the  cadence  falling  in  between, 

Dropping  like  skicy  notes  from  choirs  unseen: 
"  Oh  thou,  of  all  our  hearts  the  very  heart, 

Of  our  fair  stock  the  branch  forever  green, 
"What  Hellas  is  in  all  her  best,  thou  art. 


38  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  UGBTER 

LXX. 

"For  thee  we  give  with  joy  this  pearl  of  life, 
For  thee  our  city  and  its  law  are  naught, 

For  thee  with  tears  our  children  and  our  wife 
We  leave,  and  let  them  die  at  home  distraught, 
While  we  shall  haste  to  distant  battle,  fraught 

With  danger  unto  thee  and  thy  fair  form; 

When  once  the  bosom's  guest  is  thy  sweet  thought, 

Farewell  our  home  of  peace,  and  welcome  storm. 

LXXI. 
"From  our  deep  fealty  to  what  is  thine 

Doth  trill,  of  all  our  life,  the  sweetest  drop; 
Through  us  doth  pour  from  thee  a  stream  divine, 

Which  fills  our  human  lot  unto  the  top 

With  cataracts  of  joy  that  never  stop 
E'en  in  the  tempest  or  the  whirlwind's  blast, 

Though  we  be  dashed  with  all  the  ills  that  drop 
From  out  the  skies,  and  smite  the  world  aghast. 


CANTO  L.  39 

LXXII. 

"For  thine  own  honor  lives  heroic  song, 

The  tune  of  flutes,  the  touch  of  thin-shelled  lyre ; 
In  many-folded  robes  the  Graces  sweep  along, 

Who  the  dear  maidens  in  the  dance  inspire 

To  be  as  thou  art,  fairest  of  the  choir; 
Youth  hands  to  thee  her  overflow  of  wine 

Lit  with  the  sparkle  of  Olympian  fire, 
Before  Jove's  beaker,  Hebe  fills  thee  thine. 

LXXIII. 
"The  mighty  Gods  for  thee  come  down  to  earth, 

And  in  a  burst  of  joy  their  forms  reveal; 
The  Muses  sing  themselves  to  sudden  birth 

In  strains  of  thine,  to  lighten  and  to  heal 

Our  being's  pain,  which  the  born  man  must  feel, 
While  he  shall  stain  with  tears  his  prison  bars; 

The  man  must  sorrow  know  as  manhood's  seal, 
To  take  within  his  boundary  the  stars. 


40  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

LXXIV. 

"The  sword  waits  in  its  sheath  on  thy  behalf, 

And  always  we  shall  have  to  draw  it  too; 
Our  life  for  thee  we  offer  with  a  laugh, 

And  it  will  be  demanded  through  and  through; 

If  false  to  all,  to  thee  we  shall  be  true; 
The  price  we  pay  for  what  of  thine  we  get, 

Who  beauty  loves,  must  ever  beauty  rue, 
This  law  the  Gods  on  mortal  men  have  set." 

LXXV. 
So  sang  the  bard,  and  from  his  heart  he  sang; 

He  knew  the  Future,  Present,  and  the  Past; 
He  knew  the  joy  of  beauty  and  its  pang, 

Love  gave  him  bitter-sweet  unto  the  last, 

Though  the  white  years  on  him  their  crop  had  cast; 
Love  made  him  young,  but  thereto  gave  him  sorrow, 

While  Poesy  did  wing  him  for  the  blast, 
That  where  he  fell  to-day,  he  rose  to-morrow. 


CANTO   I.  41 

LXXVI. 

But  Helen  glided  softly  out  the  throng, 

A  sudden  pain  she  felt,  a  double  pain; 
She  felt  old  burdens  of  that  poet's  song 

Eeturn  and  press  upon  her  life  again ; 

And  with  them  now  a  burden  new  did  strain 
Her  heart-strings  tense,  already  sorely  weighed ; 

Soon  Paris  had  her  footsteps  overta'en, 
He  knew  his  prize,  and  openly  he  said: 

LXXVII. 
"In  thy  first  glance  the  Gods  declared  thee  mine; 

Not  Hellas  is  thy  worthy  dwelling  place, 
Go  with  me  to  the  East,  where  thou  shalt  shine 

The  rising  sun  upon  a  starry  race; 

Leave  homely  duty  to  the  homely  face; 
Choose  now  a  life  of  love  with  me  to  roam, 

Leave  thy  dull  husband  here,  and  his  dull  days, 
Quit  rocky  Sparta — Troy  shall  be  thy  home." 


42  AGAMEMNON'S  DA  UGHTER. 

LXXVIII. 
But  faintly  Helen  stemmed  his  strong  command : 

"Oh  can  I  leave  behind  what  I  have  been — 
The  golden  years  that  clasp  me  to  my  land, 

Leave  husband  and  my  babe  to  scorn  and  teen, 

Leave  Hellas  too,  where  I  so  fair  am  seen, 
Where  longer  than  the  Gods  themselves  remain 

I  shall  upon  my  Grecian  throne  be  queen, 
For  Zeus  hath  promised  me  his  future  reign. 

LXXIX. 
"But  ah!  no  word  of  Zeus  my  step  can  stay, 

When  close  behind  me  steals  my  destiny; 
Yes,  Love,  I  feel  I  must  with  thee  away, 

To-morrow  on  thy  bosom  I  shall  flee 

Through  storms  of  all  the  Gods  across  the  sea, 
Though  I  presage  some  mighty  overthrow 

To  lurk  in  this  rash  deed  I  do  for  thee; 
Fate  rules  my  world,  not  Zeus— with  thee  I  go." 


CANTO  L 

LXXX. 

Tlicii  Paris  hied,  for  falling  like  a  ray 
On  night  came  Iphigenia,  maiden  free ; 

She  met  Aunt  Helen  gliding  out  the  way, 
But  marked  upon  her  brow  the  mystery : 
"What  aileth  thee — art  ill,  my  dear?"  said  she. 

'Thy  looks  that  were  erewhile  the  sweetest  grace 
To  music  wed,  have  lost  their  melody; 

Me  thinks  I  hear  a  battle  in  thy  face." 

LXXXT. 
Helen  gave  answer  in  a  flooded  strain : 

"Sweet  girl,  me  to  myself  thou  dost  recall ; 
I  had  a  sigh  that  tore  my  heart  in  twain, 

And  I  was  cast  away  from  home  and  all. 

But  now  I  shall  myself  anew  install, 
And  my  whole  life  I  shall  through  thee  redeem ; 

Music  returns  within,  I  hear  its  fall, 
Zeus  ruleth  now,  and  Fate  is  not  supreme. 


44  A  GAMEMNON  'S  DA  UGHTER. 

LXXXII. 

"To-morrow  with  the  lark  I  shall  be  seen 
Hurrying  home  beneath  the  Spartan  shield, 

There  still  to  be  what  I  have  ever  been, 
Till  it  be  time  to  rove  the  Elysian  field 
With  husband  Menelaus,  who  will  wield 

A  spirit  sway  with  me  for  all  my  days ; 
And  I  shall  never  die,  shall  never  yield 

To  age,  but  stay  the  soul  of  Poet's  lays." 

LXXX1II. 

In  secret  Helen  left  with  rising  day, 
She  kept  her  promise  Paris  not  to  see ; 

But  ere  she  went  a  mile  upon  her  way, 
A  soft  repentance  she  could  feel  to  be 
Mellowing  her  heart  into  Love's  piety  ; 

And  longing  came,  which  deepened  to  a  sigh  : 
"Ah  me,  why  did  I  treat  him  churlishly, 

And  did  not  even  tell  him  once  good-bye." 


CANTO  L  45 

LXXXIV. 

The  road  ran  down  along  the  loving  sea, 
Whose  billows,  one  by  one,  upon  the  shore 

Would  fall  and  plead  at  Helen's  feet  to  be 
One  moment,  then  would  break  forevermore 
Into  the  sand ;  far  out  was  heard  the  roar 

As  ancient  Ocean  felt  the  power  near, 

And  splash  of  sea-nymphs  and  of  Tritons  hoar, 

Hurrying  to  the  beach,  now  grown  so  dear. 

LXXXY. 
Then  from  the  foam  did  Aphrodite  rise, 

And  step  with  grace  upon  her  pearly  car 
Made  of  a  sea-shell  streaked  with  ruby  skies, 

And  tuned  to  music's  lull  without  a  jar ; 

Nereids  gathered  round  her  near  and  far, 
Who  strook  the  brine  from  fervid  coal-black  hair, 

Whereon  white  hands  would  tremble  like  a  star, 
Twirling  the  tresses  round  their  bosoms  fair. 


46  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXXVI. 

And  sea-boys,  even  one  short  glimpse  to  get 
Of  perfect  being,  hovered  far  in  droves ; 

The  mighty  whale,  the  little  finny  set, 

And  the  strange  dweller  of  lone  island  coves, 
The  odd  fantastic  shape  that  shyly  roves 

In  deep  sea-vales — all  felt  the  strong  constraint-; 
The  heart  of  Ocean,  full  of  many  loves, 

Swelled  to  a  mountain  high,  then  fell  down  faint, 

LXXXVII. 
As  Aphrodite  stepped  from  out  the  wave, 

And  entered  in  her  fane  upon  the  land ; 
The  sea  grew  calm  at  her  old  task  to  lave 

The  shoaly  ledges  with  her  pale  blue  hand, 

Calm  at  her  ceaseless  washing  of  the  sand 
That  it  be  clean  for  the  last  day ;  then  fled 

The  sea-boys  with  the  nymphs  far  from  the  strand, 
Oceanus  droops  down  as  he  were  dead. 


CANTO  I.  47 

LXXXVIII. 

The  Goddess  went  within  her  temple  rare, 

Whose  slender  amorous  columns  strove  in  vain 

To  kiss  the  sea  which  bore  her  gently  there, 
In  purple  billows  imaging  the  fane, 
With  every  form  of  Love's  strong  joy  and  pain 

That  lay  upon  the  temple's  front  up  high, 
Carven  so  that  they  seemed  to  live  again, 

Or  in  their  agony  again  to  die. 

LXXXIX. 

Those  sculptured  forms  of  old  fond  histories 
Must  then  have  heard  within  the  house  a  call 

From  that  fair  Queen,  as  she  did  lightly  rise, 
And  take  her  place  upon  the  pedestal, 
Where,  as  she  stood,  her  garment  she  let  fall, 

Which,  sea-stained,  hid  away  her  shape  divine, 
Whose  glow  the  cold  hard  marble  can  enthrall, 

And  make  men  drunk  with  beauty  as  with  wine. 


48  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

xc. 
And  there  in  lofty  state  the  Goddess  stood, 

With  her  deep  bosom  bared  unto  the  sight, 
Whence  rose  the  first  sweet  throb  of  motherhood, 

The  thrill  to  sink  away  in  Love's  last  rite 

And  in  a  dream  of  it  to  vanish  quite  ; 
The  robe  dropped  down  the  loins,  when  was  revealed 

To  mortal  men  the  Goddess  in  her  might, 
Who  deepest  wounds  hath  made,  and  deepest  healed. 

xci. 
To  Aphrodite's  temple  Helen  came, 

In  her  long  journey  of  the  lonely  day, 
Within  hor  bosom  burned  the  hidden  flame, 

She  longed  the  Goddess  one  short  prayer  to  say, 

Perchance  a  little  sacrifice  to  pay, 
Some  solace  to  receive  from  her  sad  thought 

Which  dwelt  upon  a  stranger's  face  alway, 
Or  left  her  for  a  moment  more  distraught. 


CANTO  L  49 

xcn. 

Slie  looked,  and  words  broke  deeply  from  her  breast: 
"Goddess,  I  never  knew  thee  until  now; 

Of  all  divinities  thou  art  the  best, 

Though  oft  before  I  paid  to  thee  my  vow, 
My  lif e  with  thine  thou  never  didst  endow. 

Of  land  and  sea  thou  art  the  conqueress, 
Henceforth  in  all  I  shall  be  thine,  be  thou, 

Be  it  to  bring  me  joy  or  bring  distress." 

ran. 

Therewith  from  ruffled  skies  the  thunder  fell, 

Down  through  the  temple^roof  red  lightning  broke, 

And  made  from  clouds  a  falling  fiery  well, 

Whence  mid  the  flames  the  Goddess  sternly  spoke, 
In  words  which  Helen  smote  like  hammer  stroke: 

"My  Paris  whom  I  sent,  why  dost  thou  flee? 
This  burning  wrath  of  mine  wilt  thou  provoke  ? 

Yield  me  and  follow  forth  thy  destiny. 


60  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

XCIV. 

"With  liiin  to  Troy  thou  must  erelong  depart, 

This  Hellas  must  thou  leave  and  family, 
Here  Pallas  wise  and  Juno  chaste  thy  heart 

Will  share;  my  sway  must  undivided  be; 

A  life  of  roses  wilt  thou  lead  with  me; 
Why  turn  thine  eye  to  look  upon  that  ring  ? 

Halved  shall  I  not  endure  the  sovereignty; 
Beware  my  curse,  beware  the  Paphian  sting. 

xcv. 
'A  God  can  give  or  take  away  his  meed, 

Love  can  I  give,  but  also  I  give  hate; 
Detested  shall  I  make  thy  life  indeed, 

As  thou  art  now  beloved  by  small  and  great; 

Nor  this  hard  blow  will  yet  my  anger  sate : 
What  makes  thee  Helen  I  shall  take  away, 

What  holds  the  world  in  thrall  to  thee  like  Fate- 
Thy  beauty  shall  I  shrivel  in  a  day. 


CANTO  L  51 

XCVI. 

"I  bid  thee  break  at  once  that  hated  ring, 
Else  I  shall  strike  thy  youthful  body  sere, 

Leave  thee  a  withered,  wrinkled  virtuous  thing, 
Whose  lusty  spring  is  torn  from  all  the  year, 
Whose  juices  scarce  will  furnish  one  moist  tear 

Which  thou  wilt  try  in  loneliness  to  shed — 
Tis  broke !  Seek  Spartan  home  without  a  fear, 

I  shall  be  there  and  everywhere  ahead." 

xcvii. 
So  Helen  fled  out  in  the  tempest  dazed, 

To  hollow  Lacedemon  in  a  dale; 
The  hill-tops  flew,  upon  the  thunder  raised, 

As  if  they  would  the  skies  above  assail, 

And  over  all  the  Gods  of  Greece  prevail; 
The  lightning  chained  with  fire  the  peak  to  peak, 

Then  leaped  with  molten  links  into  the  vale, 
And  whirled  them  round  the  dame  in  vivid  streak. 


52  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

xcvm. 
Still  Helen  fled  amid  the  storm  forlorn, 

To  her  a  saving  power  had  been  given, 
Zeus  twirled  his  ragged  lightnings  all  unshorn, 

He  threatened  the  lone  woman  with  his  levin, 

In  some  deep  protest  raged  the  hills  and  heaven, 
Still  on  she  went  through  brakes  and  thickest  holts, 

Around  her  everywhere  the  crags  fell  riven, 
That  woman  slid  through  all  the  thunder  bolts. 

xcix. 
The  house  of  Agamemnon  woke  that  day, 

In  misty  morn  to  find  fair  Helen  fled; 
Still  flocked  the  heroes  greetings  sweet  to  say, 

For  each  had  risen  early  from  his  bed, 

To  catch  his  dearest  dream  ere  it  had  sped; 
In  vain,  for  she  was  gone,  their  hearts  were  shent: 

"Tis  some  curst  whim  in  beauty's  fickle  head", 
So  guesses  flew  in  deep  bewilderment. 


CANTO  L  53 

c. 
But  in  those  bosoms  pique  soon  rose  to  prayer: 

'•Though  thou  be  gone,  Oh  leave  thy  look  behind; 
It  builds  in  us  the  world  each  day  more  fair, 

Till  yestreen  we  saw  Helen,  we  were  blind; 

Rest  thou  the  image  painted  in  our  mind 
Of  man  and  woman's  love  in  fond  caress; 

Thou  art  the  very  self  of  human  kind, 
Blent  to  a  vision  of  all  loveliness." 

ci. 
They  shouted  for  the  bard,  but  he  was  sad, 

He  would  not  sing  his  music-flooding  ode 
Which  bubbles  out  Castalia's  waters  glad, 

But  spake  a  word  of  melancholy  bode: 

"Gone !  still  her  look  in  us  she  hath  bestowed; 
It  is  in  me,  I  see  it  in  you  all; 

Whoever  bears  within  his  soul  the  goad 
Of  Helen's  look,  must  soon  obey  her  call." 


54  AGAMEMNON'S   DAUGHTER. 

en. 
Now  Paris,  wlien  lie  heard  that  she  had  gone, 

Bethought  himself  that  he  must  also  leave; 
Next  day  he  bade  farewell  at  early  dawn, 

With  tears  at  parting  he  did  seem  to  grieve; 

Whereat  the  king  began  anew  to  weave 
His  scheme,  and  called  his  daughter,  but  she  had  flown 

Unto  her  flowers,  fresh  buds  to  interleave 
With  thoughts  about  the  life  to  be  her  own. 

cm. 
Paris  gave  out  he  would  return  to  Troy, 

To  tell  the  happy  tale  of  what  he  saw, 
The  festival,  the  friendliness,  the  joy, 

With  sober  things — the  city,  land  and  law; 

But  soiithward  all  his  sails  were  seen  to  draw 
By  the  Laconic  coast  into  the  sea; 

Mycenae  gazed  afar,  presaged  no  flaw, 
But  turned  to  games  and  dance  and  minstrelsy. 


CANTO  L  I 

civ. 
One  man  alone  of  all  the  Trojan  band, 

While  out  at  sea,  sought  Paris  to  dissuade, 
And  begged  to  steer  his  ship  to  his  own  land; 

'T  was  Antenorides  who  loved  a  maid 

At  home,  to  whom  his  mind  was  ever  staid; 
"This  Spartan  tour",  said  he,  "portends  no  good; 

In  us  the  Grecian  woman  i^f  a  blade 
To  pierce  the  Trojan  heart  and  let  its  blood. 

cv. 
The  Trojans  laughed  at  the  prophetic  word, 

And  all  applauded  Paris  and  his  scheme; 
The  madmen  their  true  voice  no  longer  heard, 

They  too  found  Helen's  look  deep  in  their  dream, 
•     And  ah1  was  not  which  there  to  be  did  seem; 
So  shouted  they:  ,Now  is  our  happy  mood, 

We  must  again  behold  high  beauty's  gleam, 
And  pluck  the  reddest  rose  of  womanhood." 


56  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

cvi. 
So  sailed  they  on,  nor  had  they  any  care, 

They  stirred  long  ripples  in  the  silent  seas, 
And  in  the  night  they  saw  the  starry  Bear 

With  many  blazing  eyes  look  through  the  trees, 

And  heard  strange  voices  coming  down  the  breeze; 
Still  sailed  they  on,  their  deed  could  not  be  let, 

But  wise,  forethoughtful  Antenorides 
Was  dragged  along  with  them  in  fateful  net. 

evil. 
A  horseman  dashed  into  the  Lion's  Gate 

One  day,  with  foam-flakes  snowing  from  his  steed, 
And  the  pale  rider  scarcely  could  await 

The  struggling  word  to  break  the  woeful  deed: 

"The  Gods  the  loss  of  Hellas  have  decreed ! 
A  Spartan  home  hath  our  fair  Helen  quit; 

Along  my  path  the  mother  Earth  did  bleed, 
As  if  she  in  her  very  heart  were  hit. 


CANTO  I.  57 

cvni. 
"To  Lacedemon  came  a  Trojan  man, 

And  Menelaus  gave  a  holiday, 
The  dearest  maidens  danced,  the  young  men  ran, 

And  all  the  people  turned  their  thoughts  to  play; 

Meanwhile  the  stranger  planned  his  wicked  way 
To  carry  Helen  off  beneath  the  night; 

To  Grecian  gifts  behold  the  Trojan  pay, 
And  it  shall  be  re-paid  with  all  our  might 

cix. 

Still  yonder  ye  may  see  the  loving  pair 

In  loungeing  sail  to  dally  on  the  wave, 
Which  Zephyrus  caresses  with  his  air, 

While  soft  Oceanus  the  keel  doth  lave, 

And  nocks  of  doves  fly  in  the  sun  to  save 
From  view  of  men  the  hour  of  lovers'  flight; 

Now  is  my  country  but  an  unknown  grave, 
And  all  her  golden  days  are  gone  in  night" 


58  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

ex. 
Ipliigenia  too  in  sorrow  spoke: 

"So  thou  art  gone  at  last,  it  was  my  fear; 
By  some  fell  power,  my  ring,  I  know,  is  broke, 

I  gave  it  thee,  stained  with  thy  dropping  tear, 

When  thy  full  heart  had  drawn  to  me  so  near; 
Ah  never  have  I  felt  my  life  so  crossed, 

No  more  than  thou  can  I  stay  longer  here, 
With  thee  now  lost  am  I,  the  world  is  lost." 

CXI. 

But  Agamemnon's  words  were  open  joy: 
"Let  the  fair  woman  go,  I  fain  would  pray; 

I  shall  restore  her  soon,  and  lofty  Troy 
In  mighty  war  I  shall  bring  under  sway, 
Whereto  I  have  long  sought  some  secret  way; 

I  shall  that  Asian  bound  to  my  full  power 
Now  push  far  out  into  the  rising  day; 

To  Priam's  son  I  yet  shall  give  a  dower. 


CANTO  I. 

CXII. 

But  while  they  talked,  arose  a  distant  dust 
Upon  the  road  around  a  little  hill; 

That  dusty  cloud  was  whirled  within  a  gust 
Of  sudden  wind  into  the  town  so  shrill, 
That  all  the  people  leaped  up  in  a  thrill; 

Then  from  the  cloud  was  born  a  mounted  group, 
And  of  tha  group  one  man  each  eye  did  fill, 

Spurring  ahead  of  all  the  sweaty  troop. 

CXIII. 

Soon  any  child  within  the  town  could  tell 
That  Menelaus  was  the  foremost  man; 

Quickly  he  rode  into  the  citadel, 

While  all  the  crowd  his  broken  look  did  scan, 
And  wonder  what  might  be  his  anxious  plan; 

Then  came  Presentiment's  dark  underflow, 
While  Kumor  wildly  raged  about,  and  ran 

Proclaiming  tumult,  war  and  overthrow. 


60  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

CXIV. 

He  cried  in  pain:  "Where  is  my  Helen,  where  ?  " 
To  him  was  pointed  then  far  out  at  sea 

A  speck  that  danced  between  the  wave  and  air, 
A  sparkling  sail  that  lingered  laughingly, 
And  gave  one  parting  glance  in  tiny  glee, 

Then  twinkled  out  the  blue  to  nothingness; 
Whereat  his  eyes  strained  to  their  last  degree, 

Broke  silent  tears  that  told  his  deep  distress. 

cxv. 
To  that  same  spot  had  come  the  Grecian  chiefs, 

Speechless  they  gazed  at  the  retreating  sail 
Which  left  behind  in  them  a  world  of  griefs; 

It  seemed  as  their  own  soul  began  to  fail 

And  flicker  off  upon  the  ship's  sea  trail; 
But  when  at  last  from  view  the  vessel  sped, 

They  stood  not  valiant  Greeks  in  coats  of  mail, 
Bnt  bronzed  corpses,  of  a  sudden  dead. 


CANTO   I.  61 

CXVI. 

As  rustling  leaves  break  in  October  dreams, 
When  under  trees  we  lie  but  half  asleep, 

And  what  we  are  awake  blends  into  gleams 
Of  life  when  it  has  bioken  Time's  strong  keep, 
And  of  the  world  beyond  we  get  a  peep; 

So  all  the  Greeks  saw  through  their  ghostly  stare 
The  future  deed  rise  pictured  from  the  deep, 

And  sprang  at  once  their  armor  to  prepare. 


CANTO  rr. 


IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 


List  to  the  winds  and  catch  their  moody  lay! 
Unrestful  up  and  down  the  strait  they  blow, 
They  meet  at  Aulis,  tumble  up  the  bay, 
They  twist  the  curls  of  Tritons  to  and  fro, 
And  all  the  fleet  without  an  oar  they  row, 
No  sail  can  be  unfurled,  no  rope  be  cast, 

Above  the  sea-war  voices  singing  low 
Are  heard  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  blast: 


CANTO  II.  63 

n. 
"  We  blow  to  the  East  and  West,  to  the  South  and  North, 

Over  the  water  and  land  unseen  we  break, 
Around,  about,  above,  below,  and  back  and  forth, 

Forever  change  we  are  and  change  we  make, 

Eternally  the  heavy  ships  we  shake, 
The  drowsy  men  we  rouse  with  our  commotion, 

We  move  the  deeps  for  the  movement's  sake, 
And  stir  to  life  anew  the  ancient  Ocean." 

m. 
Hear  Boreas  whistle  in  his  chilly  blast! 

Upon  the  sail  he  leaves  his  icy  coat, 
The  Southwind  breathes  warm  kisses  on  the  mast, 

And  sings  its  passion  in  a  tender  rote, 

The  ice  melts  in  the  ripple  to  the  note, 
And  Zephyrus  doth  come  and  lay  his  balm, 

The  waves  drop  in  a  trance  around  the  boat, 
The  sails  are  dead,  and  Aulis  in  a  calm. 


64  1PHIGENIA    AT  AULI& 

IV. 

So  sweep  the  winged  winds  from  rage  to  rest, 
And  then  from  rest  they  rush  to  rage  again, 

The  wave  mounts  upward  to  their  wild  behest, 
Or  sleeps  in  peace  beneath  their  soothing  strain, 
With  dreams  of  skies  held  fast  in  crystal  plain, 

But  soon  the  blasts  are  loosed,  and  bring  anew 
In  wrathful  energy  their  stress  and  pain, 

For  in  this  world  must  all  receive  its  due. 

v. 
Now  on  this  windy  watery  element, 

Where  sea-lit  Aulis  lies  along  her  strand, 
The  Greeks  were  kept,  with  double  purpose  rent, 

Whether  to  bring  back  Helen  to  her  land, 

Or  to  send  home  all  of  their  warrior  band; 
Oft  had  they  spoken,  yet  could  not  agree, 

Contention  rose,  whatever  might  be  planned, 
And  dashed  them  round  as  surges  on  the  sea. 


CANTO  II.  65 

YL 

For  every  madding  wind  burst  out  released, 

When  but  a  sail  upreared  would  give  a  sign; 
They  rushed  from  South  and  North,  from  West  and  East, 

As  if  sent  on  their  way  by  power  malign; 

But  when  the  boats  were  moored,  the  sun  would  shine, 
Then  all  the  wise  men  wondered  what  it  was 

That  could  the  eager  ships  so  long  confine; 
Some  said  the  Gods,  and  some,  that  Man  was  cause. 

VII. 

The  oldest  chief  was  prudent,  white-haired  Nestor, 
Words  sweeter  flowed  than  honey  from  his  tongue : 

The  holy  priest  was  Calchas,  son  of  Thestor, 
Who  on  the  voice  of  God  or  Goddess  hung, 
And  knew  what  every  bird  in  heaven  sung; 

Ulysses  always  deepest  wisdom  taught, 

Though  it  might  not  prevail  at  first  among 

His  people,  till  they  took  the  second  thought. 


66  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

VIII. 

Ajax  had  come,  the  bulky  man  of  brawn, 

Who  bore  a  mighty  fortress  in  his  frame; 
Small  Menelaus  too,  whose  wrong  had  drawn 

All  Greece  to  seek  revenge  for  Helen's  shame; 

Young  Diomed,  a  doughty  knight  who  came 
From  Argive  land,  whose  fiery  soul  sought  fight; 

Thersites,  who  had  won  a  bitter  name 
Abusing  leaders  whether  wrong  or  right. 

IX. 

But  Agamemnon  was  the  greatest  king, 

Of  all  the  chiefs  he  had  most  towns  and  land, 

And  most  ambition  to  the  war  could  bring, 
Achilles  had  inborn  the  Hero's  strand, 
Yet  not  with  it  the  gift  of  self-command 

Which  trains  to  duty  first  the  rebel  soul; 
Still  he  would  be  the  leader  of  the  band, 

And  all  the  rest,  but  not  himself,  control. 


CANTO  II.  67 


Good  Palamedes,  too,  was  present  there, 

The  man  who  always  sought  to  look  at  right; 

For  beauty  he  had  not  a  single  care, 

Its  tender  thrill  ruled  not  his  sense  of  sight, 
Whereby  his  Grecian  soul  had  left  him  quite. 

They  ah1  were  gathered  now  the  chief  to  choose, 
The  herald,  who  Talthybius  was  hight, 

Bade  silence  so  that  each  could  tell  his  views. 

XI. 

King  Agamemnon  was  the  first  to  rise, 
A  politician's  wiles  he  knew  to  life, 

Tears  started  as  he  looked  up  in  the  skies: 
"I  think  I  shall  go  home  to  mine  own  wife, 
And  Helen  leave  with  all  this  Trojan  strife; 

Our  stay  at  Troy  will  last  for  many  suns, 
Far,  far  it  lies,  with  all  disaster  rife, 

Let  us  return  to  home  and  little  ones." 


C>8  IPHIGENIA   AT  AVLIS. 

XII. 

Broke  Palamedes  in,  the  rightful  man : 

"  So  many  faithful  wives  why  should  we  leave, 

For  that  one  faithless  Argive  wife  who  ran 
Away  from  husband,  leaving  him  to  grieve, 
And  tell  tho  time  in  tears  without  reprieve  ? 

I  say  she  hath  not  won  a  goodly  fame; 

And  shall  we  every  household  now  bereave 

For  her  who  boldly  threw  away  her  name  ? 

xm. 
"  She  went  with  Paris  of  her  own  free-will, 

Though  she  may  blame  the  Goddess  for  the  deed ; 
The  stain  upon  her  life  remaineth  still, 

Although  she  seek  to  hide  it  in  a  creed, 

And  make  divine  whatever  may  mislead; 
The  woman  who  is  led  by  Aphrodite's  word, 

Or  shall  for  guilt  the  Paphian  power  plead, 
Must  first  herself  by  harlotry  be  stirred. 


CANTO  IT.  69 

XIV. 

**  I  sliall  not  quit  my  home  for  such  a  jade, 

And  leave  to  sigh  and  sorrow  ah1  mine  own ; 
Perish  the  oaths  to  Tyndarus  we  made, 

By  breaking  them  is  now  the  strong  man  shown, 

I  shall  do  so,  although  I  stand  alone. 
Oh  Helen,  for  thine  ills  what  deadly  cure ! 

Thou  art  not  worth  this  solitary  moan, 
For  thee  distainad  we  shall  not  give  the  pure." 

xv. 
Then  forward  sprang  to  speak  young  Dionied, 

Within  his  eyes  the  flint  kept  striking  fire, 
And  sparkles  threw  with  every  word  he  said, 

Whereby  that  word  did  drop  red-hot  with  ire, 

Yet  had  a  music  in  it  as  a  lyre 
When  burn  harmonic  ardors  in  the  strings, 

Attuned  to  song  aflame  from  warlike  choir, 
When  it  the  blood-beat  of  the  battle  sings. 


70  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

XVI. 

"  I  say,  let  us  at  once  sweep  forth  to  Troy, 

For  Helen  give  our  lives  in  valor's  glee; 
Without  her  glance  the  world  hath  not  one  joy, 

The  all-in-all  of  all  our  hearts  is  she; 

What's  wife  and  child,  what's  all  that  is  to  be, 
If  fairest  Helen  must  a  captive  sigh  ? 

What  then  am  I  myself  in  verity, 
If  I  the  Greek  cannot  for  Helen  die  ?" 

XVII. 

Whereat  the  Greeks  sent  up  a  mighty  shout, 
That  rose  an  unseen  mountain  to  the  skies, 

For  each  one  heard  the  very  word  spoke  out, 
Which  in  his  heart  had  struggled  hard  to  rise 
From  that  dim  lake  where  speech  unbodied  lies  ; 

Then  stood  Ulysses  forth  who  knew  the  dutiful, 
Well  he  deserved  to  be  entitled  wise, 

Though  wisdom  coined  he  not  into  the  beautiful. 


CANTO  II.  71 

XVIII. 

"A  wife  and  babe  I  too  at  home  have  left, 

Telemachus  and  true  Penelope, 
But  of  them  both  I  am  this  day  bereft, 

Unless  through  Troy  I  bring  them  back  to  me, 

And  raze  that  hold  of  Greek  captivity. 
If  I  shall  win  them,  Helen  is  the  cost, 

In  her  the  one,  all  wives  we  must  set  free, 
And  in  her  loss,  behold  we  all  are  lost." 

XIX. 

No  shout  the  Greeks  gave  wise  Ulysses'  speech, 
For  by  them  he  was  hardly  understood; 

His  thoughts  flew  high  in  air  beyond  their  reach, 
And  yet  they  somehow  felt  his  words  were  good, 
Except  Thersites,  of  the  scoffers'  brood; 

He  turned  grave  wisdom  into  ridicule, 
He  railed  at  Helen  and  all  womanhood, 

And  made  the  world  just  like  himself — a  fool. 


72  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

xx. 

"The  game  in  this  whole  war  is  lore",  he  said, 
"The  lore  of  Trojan  booty  is  the  main; 

Yet  if  the  love  of  Helen  tickles  Diomed, 

Why  then  should  I  and  other  Greeks  be  slain 
For  that  one  woman,  vainest  of  the  vain? 

But  we  are  told  in  one  to  see  the  all, 

Such  misty  music  is  our  wise  man's  strain ; 

So  be  it — in  Helen  see  each  woman's  fall." 

XXI. 

Then  Nestor  rose  and  caught  from  him  the  word, 
And  tore  from  it  the  lie  in  knavery  wrapped; 

The  old  man's  voice  the  people  gladly  heard, 
He  after  wise  Ulysses  spoke,  and  capped 
Dim  wisdom  with  some  shining  legend  apt, 

Or  story  taken  from  his  far-off  youth, 

Telling  a  wondrous  tale  that  deeply  lapped 

In  folds  of  rich  romance  the  wise  man's  truth. 


CANTO  If,  73 

XXII. 

High  sounded  the  applause  of  Grecians,  for 

He  called  them  back  from  scorn  to  their  own  heart, 

In  sweetest  tones  of  silvery  orator, 
And  many  turns  delicious  of  his  art, 
Yet  flashing  wisdom  out  of  every  part. 

The  aged  man  sat  down,  a  youth  arose 

Whose  single  glance  made  all  the  people  start 

The  battle  cry,  as  if  to  charge  their  foes, 

xxin. 
It  was  Achilles  who  in  splendor  came, 

The  noblest  form  of  all  the  Grecian  host, 
Each  muscle  was  athirst  for  glorious  fame 

In  tear-worn  war,  whatever  be  the  cost; 

But  the  great  world  in  his  own  self  was  lost; 
He  knew  who  was  the  Hero,  his  name  could  call, 

A  name  on  fleeting  Time  to  be  engrossed, 
All  men  were  there  for  him,  not  he  for  all. 


74  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

XXIV. 

Yet  lie  had  nobler  strands  within  his  breast, 
Which  Cheiron,  wisest  teacher,  raised  to  day; 

Of  music's  concord  was  his  soul  possessed, 
He  well  could  touch  the  lyric  chords  in  play, 
And  sing  heroic  deeds  in  lofty  lay, 

Till  fired  by  his  own  strains  he  soared  above 
And  found  a  tuneful  sphere,  where  every  way 

Led  unto  harmony  and  human  love. 

xxv. 
But  Cheiron's  lesson  was  now  well  forgot, 

The  Hero  sought  the  army's  chieftaincy, 
He  was  for  fairest  Helen,  yet  was  not, 

But  for  his  own  fair  deed  that  was  to  be; 

He  rose  to  speak,  the  entire  company, 
Rapt  with  his  beauty,  whispered  each  to  other: 

"He  is  the  man  for  all  supremacy, 
Godlike  his  shape,  a  Goddess  is  his  mother. 


CANTO    II.  75 

XXVI. 

"  See  but  tlie  motion  of  his  hand  -  what  joy  ! 

It  pours  within  us  more  than  Bacchic  stream; 
For  him  now  could  we  take  another  Troy, 

More  beautiful  than  Helen  is  that  gleam, 

With  our  last  breath  we  would  his  life  redeem, 
If  he  a  captive  were  as  she  is  now, 

Of  gloried  Hercules  he  comes  the  dream, 
The  ray  divine  is  flashing  from  his  brow." 

XXVII. 

Quick  words  of  short  contempt  Achilles  shot : 

"Let  us  no  more  in  useless  speech  debate 
Whether  the  dame  shall  be  restored  or  not, 

But  let  us  choose  a  chief  at  any  rate, 

Then  can  I  tell  what  is  to  be  her  fate 
When  I  shall  see  our  leader  and  his  might, 

If  he  be  merely  first  in  wealth  and  state, 
Or  he  who  in  the  front  rank  best  can  fi^ht." 


76  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

XXVIII. 

Ulysses  seized  the  helm  with  lots,  and  prayed: 
"Oh  Zeus,  put  the  right  man  in  the  right  place  ! 

Let  rule  disjoint  from  body's  might  be  made, 
Lest  brawny  arm  take  all  for  its  own  grace, 
And  smite  both  rule  and  reason  down  apace  !  " 

The  Greeks  with  wise  Ulysses  prayed  the  prayer, 
When  Agamemnon's  lot  leaped  out  the  case 

Of  brilliant  bronze  into  the  eager  air. 

XXIX. 

Achilles  turned  in  silent  wrath  aside, 

Back  to  his  sylvan  home  he  thought  to  go, 

In  Aulis  he  would  not  one  day  abide, 

But  leave  ungrateful  Grecians  to  their  wo, 
Who  were  not  able  their  best  man  to  know; 

He  went  alone  along  the  ridged  sand, 
His  tears  into  the  sea  began  to  How, 

And  swell  the  waves  that  strook  in  peace  the  strand. 


CANTO  II.  77 

XXX. 

"Ah,  why  was  I  not  born  of  slaves  a  slave, 

Why  was  heroic  heart  put  in  my  breast, 
To  be  the  scorn  of  every  subtle  knave, 

And  from  the  struggle  never  to  have  rest  ? 

Oh  mother  Thetis,  mount  thy  billows'  crest, 
And  tell  why  thou  divine  hast  brought  me  forth, 

Me  Goddess-born,  to  be  by  time  distressed, 
By  men  to  be  cast  out  as  nothing  worth." 

XXXI. 

Therewith  he  flung  a  tear  into  the  brine, 

Which  beared  to  meet  him  like  a  mother's  heart; 

A  thousand  hands  above  the  waves  did  shine, 
And  reach  out  to  him  there  as  to  impart 
Some  touch  of  balm  to  soothe  his  fiery  smart; 

And  ail  the  sea  became  a  sea  of  light, 

While  from  the  ripples'  break  soft  tones  did  start 

And  turn  to  speech  just  at  the  margent  white. 


78  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

XXXII. 

"My  son,  I  hear  thee  weeping  at  my  shore, 

Would  it  were  the  last  tear  that  thou  wilt  shed ! 

Thy  honor  yet  will  be  neglected  more, 

And  contumely's  dart  will  pierce  thy  head, 
Until  thou  liest  cold  among  the  dead. 

Thy  lot  it  is  by  men  of  little  worth, 

To  be  misprized  till  thy  full  time  be  sped, 

This  is  the  badge  of  thy  heroic  birth. 

xxxni. 
"Gods,  pity  me,  the  mother  of  but  one, 

Who  is  so  great  that  he  must  early  die; 
Could  I  have  borne  a  weak,  ignoble  son, 

Then  mine  had  been  a  blest  maternity. 

Yet  wherefore  am  I  mother  but  to  cry  ? 
And  wherefore  am  I  Goddess  but  to  bear 

The  sorrows  of  the  world  upon  my  sigh  ? 
Oh  stay,  my  son,  it  is  thy  mother's  prayer." 


CANTO  II. 

XXXIV. 

Therewith  she  rose  above  the  mighty  mere, 
Her  son  she  kissed  as  the  great  waters  drave, 

And  with  her  own  she  washed  away  his  tear, 
Yet  with  her  breath  divine  endurance  gave 
Of  the  heroic  pang  which  stills  the  grave. 

Up  with  her  rose  the  ocean  many-tressed, 
Who  fitted  to  her  form  his  yielding  wave, 

And  with  her  clasped  the  Hero's  shaggy  breast. 

xxxv. 
With  one  embrace  she  sank  down  in  the  main, 

The  struggling  waters  rested  from  their  coil, 
Peace  spread  on  billows  blue  afar  her  train, 

And  busy  ripples  turned  back  to  their  toil; 

Achilles  felt  no  more  his  bosom's  broil, 
When  he  had  heard  his  loving  mother's  speech; 

He  traced  strange  thoughts  upon  the  sandy  soil, 
And  picked  up  gorgeous  shells  along  the  beach. 


80  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULfS. 

XXXVI. 

Proud  Agamemnon  sat  within  his  tent, 

The  Chieftains  flocked  the  newest  man  to  greet, 

And  many  costly  presents  to  him  sent 

Of  golden  beakers,  tripods,  vestments  meet 
For  body,  bed,  for  stool  beneath  his  feet; 

It  was  a  wild  exultant  gathering 

That  surged  around  to  knee  the  royal  seat, 

And  loud  proclaimed  a  God  to  be  the  king. 

XXXVII. 

The  Leader  deigns  to  deem  himself  a  God, 
Himself  to  be  above  all  guilt  he  deems, 

And  of  man's  punishment  to  bear  the  rod, 
Dire  Ate  feeds  his  heart  with  all  her  dreams, 
And  insolence  from  every  action  gleams, 

E'en  royal  courtesy  is  throned  in  pride, 
No  limit  to  his  will  to  have  he  seems, 

No  Zeus,  but  he  Olympus  doth  bestride. 


CANTO  IT. 

XXXVIII. 

Full  early  in  the  morn  he  seeks  the  chase, 
To  vent  in  wildest  sport  his  wanton  mood, 

To  hunt  instead  of  men  the  sylvan  race, 
When  suddenly  he  conies  to  Dian's  wood, 
Which  on  a  hill  not  far  from  Aulis  stood; 

A  sacred  spot,  that  was  encircled  round 
With  walls  and  hedges,  woven  to  exclude 

All  trespass  from  the  hidden  holy  ground. 

IXL. 
Within  the  close  were  many  pretty  fawns, 

That  cropped  the  leaves  with  kisses  delicate, 
Or  played  in  coyish  pleasantry  on  lawns, 

Without  the  dream  of  hairy  horned  mate, 

All  to  the  purest  Goddess  dedicate. 
It  was  a  sport  where  none  with  stained  thought 

Might  enter  in  the  pearl-embosomed  gate; 
The  very  air  breathed  innocence  untaught. 


82  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

XL. 

But  Agememnon  knew  no  sacred  bound, 
Desire  had  now  become  his  only  law, 

He  leaped  the  wall  and  sprang  upon  the  ground, 
The  fairest  fawn  within  the  grove  he  saw, 
And  there  he  smote  her  with  goat-footed  paw, 

As  if  he  were  a  satyr  of  the  wood; 

Deep  in  her  tender  heart  sunk  down  the  claw, 

And  o'er  her  body  white  was  written  blood. 

XLI. 
The  heart-struck  fawn  ran  off  toward  the  fane 

Spilling  her  virgin  drops  with  helpless  shriek; 
Along  the  grass  was  trailed  a  purple  stain, 

Which  burned  the  greenest  sod  to  a  sere  streak, 

And  called  on  Mother  Earth  revenge  to  wreak. 
To  altar  of  the  Goddess  pure  she  fled, 

And  gave  one  piteous  look  of  prayer  meek, 
Then  fell  down  at  the  feet  of  Dian,  dead. 


CANTO  1L  83 

XLH. 

At  once  the  sky  was  dashed  in  blackest  wrath, 
Amid  the  trees  leaped  red  the  ragged  fire, 

The  heavens  everywhere  portended  scath, 
As  if  they  sought  to  make  the  world  a  pyre, 
And  singe  it  to  a  crisp  with  lightnings  dire ; 

The  thunder  chain,  with  dreadful  links  of  sound, 
Clanked  on  the  flaming  air  with  wrong  afire, 

And  flung  fleet  molten  fetters  to  the  ground. 

XLIII. 
The  timid  fawns  had  scampered  through  the  grove, 

With  terror  of  the  time  their  bodies  shook, 
Through  hiding  thicket  one  by  one  they  strove, 

Or  huddled  in  a  mass  within  a  nook, 

Around  they  dared  not  for  a  moment  look; 
It  seemed  as  if  the  Goddess  could  not  shield 

Her  innocents  along  the  forest  brook, 
But  must  to  ruthless  ravager  them  yield. 


84  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

XLIV. 

The  Leader  knew  at  once  what  he  had  done, 
He  hurried  pale  from  forest  to  the  fleet, 

The  glance  of  Goddess  there  he  thought  to  shun; 
He  ordered  all  the  chiefs  betimes  to  meet, 
And  bring  aboard  the  armament  complete : 

"Aboard,  Aboard,  I  shall  no  more  delay, 

Seize  hold  the  oar,  hoist  to  the  wind  the  sheet, 

And  strike  the  foamy  wave  to-day,  to-day." 

XLV. 

The  people  deeply  wondered,  but  obeyed; 

Like  ants  they  swarmed  along  the  shelving  shore, 
And  not  a  moment  in  their  task  delayed; 

They  dragged  the  ships  down  to  the  water  hoar 

With  shouts  that  capped  the  hill-tops  in  a  roar; 
They  cut  in  haste  the  hawser  from  the  land, 

Then  rose  to  smite  the  salt  sea  with  the  oar, 
And  thought  to  leave  at  once  old  AuhV  strand. 


CANTO  I. 

XLVL 

But  when  the  air  had  heard  one  lusty  stroke, 
It  madly  changed  into  a  furious  blast; 

Each  sail  did  seem  the  wind-god  to  provoke, 
So  that  he  stripped  it  from  the  reeling  mast, 
And  its  white  tatters  in  the  sea  did  cast; 

The  Furies  of  the  air  would  hiss  and  howl, 
The  Demons  of  the  sea  would  scurry  past, 

And  furrow  its  calm  face  with  gloaming  scowl 

XLVII. 
The  wrathful  winds  again  were  heard  to  sing: 

"The  man  shall  not  escape,  the  guilty  man; 
We  come,  we  come,  his  wicked  deed  we  bring, 

Our  hands  have  been  at  work  since  Time  began, 

And  we  have  built  the  world  the  Gods  did  plan, 
The  blast  on  sea  and  land  is  but  our  speed 

The  hidden  wrong  from  out  the  earth  to  ban, 
We  spirits  are  that  blow  to  man  his  deed." 


86  IPIHGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

XLVIII. 

Thus  in  a  chorus  dolorous  they  sang, 

With  its  vast  bass  of  waters  chimed  the  deep, 

The  skies  attuned  thereto  with  thunder  rang, 

Long  rocky  hands  would  catch  the  keel,  and  keep 
It  fast  on  shoals,  or  hurl  it  on  the  steep, 

Till  every  ship  put  back  into  the  bay; 

Then  would  the  winds  begin  to  fall  asleep, 

Or  mid  the  masts  low  notes  of  guilt  to  play. 

XLIX. 
And  every  Grecian  soul  amazed  did  ask: 

"Why  do  the  Gods  to  us  opposed  stand? 
For  it  is  they  who  stop  us  from  our  task 

Fair  Helen's  wrong  to  quit  with  vengeful  hand. 

Some  unseen  crime  is  lurking  in  the  land, 
Innocent  blood  its  curses  on  us  wreaks, 

The  culprit  must  be  found,  his  guilt  be  banned, 
Although  he  be  the  first  man  of  the  Greeks." 


CANTO  IL 

L. 

Then  sounded  through  the  multitude  of  masts 
The  herald's  voice,  Talthybius  shrill; 

It  sent  a  shudder  like  the  shrieking  blasts, 

And  made  the  host  that  felt  its  keenness,  chill 
With  fearful  bodements  of  a  coming  ill; 

To  the  assembly  all  the  Grecians  throng 
To  hear  what  is  the  word  divine,  while  still 

The  winds  at  parting  lisp  a  sigh  of  wrong, 

LI. 
Then  Calchas,  holy  Priest,  the  first  arose, 

The  darkness  was  transparent  to  his  view, 
He  kenned  the  will  of  Gods  and  of  their  foes, 

How  the  great  Universe  is  ruled  he  knew, 

How  man  in  it  is  governed  saw  he  too, 
Upon  his  heart  the  law  was  deeply  writ, 

His  eye  shone  sunlike  looking  on  the  True, 
The  world  he  saw  not,  but  the  God  in  it, 


88  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

LIT. 

The  brook  he  heard  not  but  the  Nymph  therein, 
The  roar  of  skies  would  speak  to  him  of  Jove ; 

So  he  had  heard  the  winds  beneath  their  din 
Announce  the  deed  that  wronged  the  Gods  above, 
And  had  on  Earth  below  slain  human  love; 

He  was  the  only  man  in  all  the  fleet 
Who  knew  the  voice  in  which  the  tempest  strove, 

And  could  its  very  words  to  men  repeat. 

Lm. 
Beside  the  will  of  Gods  to  him  was  known 

The  human  soul,  which  he  could  clearly  scan 
When  it  in  darkest  depths  was  left  alone 

With  guilt,  by  Gods  forsaken  and  by  man, 

By  all  the  lightnings  pierced  of  its  own  ban; 
He  looked  in  it  and  saw  the  deep  disease, 

Straightway  he  sought  to  carry  out  the  plan 
Whereby  to  give  to  it  the  sweet  release. 


CANTO  IL  89 

LIV. 

Such  was  of  holy  priest  the  greatest  gift, 

He  sought  the  errant  spirit  to  reclaim, 
The  burden  from  the  breaking  heart  to  lift, 

To  bring  atonement  for  all  wicked  blame, 

And  new  existence  give  and  a  new  name; 
The  guilty  life  he  could  far  down  unroll, 

And  take  the  evil  strain  out  of  its  frame, 
And  reconcile  with  Gods  the  cast-off  soul. 

LV. 
He  spake  a  speech  that  all  the  host  could  hear: 

"  I  tell  what  Zeus  and  mine  own  soul  command, 
Although  my  sharp  rebuke  shall  smite  the  ear 
Of  highest  man  in  all  the  Grecian  band : 
Ye  sail  away  unto  the  Trojan  Land 
Wrong  to  avenge,  and  yet  that  very  wrong 

At  Aulis  has  been  done  with  wanton  hand; 
Now  Helen's  injuries  to  Greeks  belong." 


90  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

LVI. 

"A  fawn  devote  to  virgin  Artemis 
Is  lieing  slain  within  her  holy  ground; 

The  guilt  of  Paris  I  proclaim,  is  his 

Who  did  the  lustful  deed,  and  made  a  wound 
On  innocence  which  would  all  Troy  astound; 

Think  not  the  Gods  will  pass  in  us  offence 

For  which  they  shall  the  Trojan  town  confound; 

They  punish  in  us  too  its  insolence. 

LVII. 
"Our  deities  are  high  because  the  rods 

They  bear  for  all  who  shall  their  law  transgress; 
Greek  wrong  is  punished  hardest  by  Greek  Gods, 

For  deed  of  guilt  give  ye  to  them  redress, 

Impartial  is  their  wrath,  their  blessedness; 
If  they  have  judgement  sent  against  proud  Troy, 

By  that  same  judgement  now  they  send  us  stress 
Of  winds,  whereof  take  heed  lest  they  destroy. 


CANTO  II 

Lvni. 
"A  contradiction  is  of  Gods  the  hate, 

They  will  not  long  abide  discordancy; 
That  man  they  leave  unhelped  to  vengeful  fate, 

Who  seeketh  not  from  guilt  himself  to  free, 

And  to  bring  back  his  life  to  harmony; 
By  sacrifice  alone  can  he  be  rid 

Of  wrongful  deed,  whose  ruth  he  feels  when  he 
Does  to  himself  what  he  to  others  did. 

LIX. 
"  Oh  Leader  brave,  thou  hast  a  daughter  dear, 

A  virgin  pure  as  is  the  sky-born  snow; 
I  cannot  speak  the  word  without  a  tear, 

The  Goddess  bids  thy  child  to  be  laid  low 

Upon  her  altar  with  the  axe's  blow, 
The  winds  will  never  cease  from  out  the  sides 

To  pour  upon  the  fleet  their  blasts  of  wo, 
Till  with  the  fawn  thy  bleeding  daughter  lies. 


92  IPHIGEN1A  AT  A  ULIS. 

LX. 

"If  to  the  Gods  for  all  thou  wilt  her  lend, 

Thou  shalt  thyself  from  thine  own  wrong  redeem, 
For  thou  hast  taken  back  thy  deed  to  mend, 

And  plucked  it  from  the  penalty  supreme; 

True  leadership  will  out  thine  action  gleam 
When  for  thy  land  thou  yieldest  dearest  ties; 

And  the  new  Helen  will  restored  beam 
In  thine  own  daughter  and  her  sacrifice." 

LXI. 
So  spake  the  holy  Priest,  who  truly  saw 

In  all  its  deeps  what  lies  in  human  deed; 
But  Agamemnon  spurned  the  sacred  law, 

And  cursed  the  spotless  man  who  said  the  creed; 

Thou  coward  Priest !  I  know  thy  calling's  greed, 
'  Tis  gold  that  buys  thy  word,  somebody's  gold, 

Who  is  mine  enemy;  the  Gods  take  heed 
Through  thee  on  pelf  and  power  to  keep  their  hold. 


CANTO  1L  93 

LXH. 
"  Thy  subtle  priestly  craft  shall  not  rule  me, 

Although  thou  make  weak  men  in  fear  opine 
Thy  will  to  be  the  will  of  deity; 

My  own  sweet  will  is  just  as  good  as  thine, 

And  I  believe  it  is  quite  as  divine, 
Nay  more  divine,  for  I  have  power.     The  oar 

Now  seize  again,  Oh  Greeks,  and  smite  the  brine 
For  Troy,  our  injured  Helen  to  restore." 

LXIII. 
The  men  went  down  into  their  ships  once  more, 

And  stirred  unwilling  waves  with  busy  blade, 
But  soon  they  heard  approach  a  wild  uproar 

From  blackest  cloud,  wherein  the  flashes  played 

So  fast  that  every  seaman  was  dismayed; 
And  suddenly  the  winds  smote  in  a  throng 

The  sails  to  ghostly  shrouds  of  gloomy  shades 
Singing  a  new  and  more  destructive  song: 


94  1PHIGENIA    AT  AULIS. 

LXIV. 

"  Know  ye  that  twice  have  we  with  shrilly  lay 
To  Aulis  come  and  sung  ainid  the  fleet; 

Our  first  was  gay  and  chimed  a  changeful  play, 
The  second  moved  to  a  far  deeper  beat 
Taken  from  vengeance  whistling  through  the  sheet; 

The  third  time  we  are  here  with  curse  more  savage, 
And  still  ye  may  be  saved  by  quick  retreat, 

The  next  is  last,  beware  its  song  of  ravage." 

LXV. 
Then  ship  on  ship  was  driven  in  the  clamor, 

Men  fell  into  the  wave  and  rose  no  more, 
Over  the  water  flared  a  lurid  glamour, 

Wherein  damned  phantoms  smote  the  sea  and  shore, 

And  every  sail  from  mast  and  halyard  tore; 
The  ships  could  scarce  escape  the  crackling  flame 

Which  out  the  belly  of  the  winds  upbore, 
By  fleeing  back  to  Aulis  whence  they  came. 


CANTO  IL  95 

LXVI. 

The  first  to  put  about  into  the  bay, 

Was  Agamemnon,  palsied  at  the  sign 
Which  Gods  had  shown  to  him  of  their  own  way; 

He  sent  at  once  for  Calchas,  man  divine, 

To  break  the  spell  of  that  great  might  malign, 
He  fell  down  by  the  Priest  with  heavy  groans, 

Yet  his  new  life  through  tears  began  to  sliine, 
As  he  with  soothed  winds  did  mingle  moans: 

LXVH. 
"  Zeus,  Father,  must  I  sacrifice  my  daughter ! 

Of  womanhood  the  tender  blooming  rose  ! 
The  sweetest  flower  of  my  life  I  thought  her; 

What  then  have  I  to  live  for  if  she  goes  ? 

Help,  Calchas,  stroke  thy  hand  along  my  throes: 
Thine  eye  bids  me  to  think  myself  a  king; 

I  am  a  king — the  Leader  here  bestows 
His  daughter  and  himself  an  offering." 


96  IPHIGEN1A  AT  AULI8. 

LXVIII. 

Meantime  Mycenae  gay  its  song  had  lost. 
The  dance  had  ceased  and  merry  festival; 

In  place  of  joy  its  hearts  were  sorrow-tossed, 
The  mother,  wife,  the  little  children  all 
Oft  gathered  lonely  on  the  city  wall 

To  gaze  for  messenger  or  ship  afar; 

No  voice  was  heard  but  woman's  cry  or  call, 

For  every  man  had  gone  to  tearful  war. 

LXIX. 

No  word  from  Aulis  came,  they  cannot  hear 
What  is  the  reason  of  so  long  delay : 

Iphigenia  thinks  without  a  fear 
A  visit  to  her  noble  sire  to  pay, 
Ere  he  to  distant  Troy  be  gone  away; 

Out  of  the  Lions'  Gate  she  drove  her  team 
Of  mules  that  shook  the  sweaty  yoke  all  day, 

Up  hill  and  down,  and  by  the  rippling  stream. 


CANTO  77,  97 

LXS. 

Her  chariot  first  ran  through  the  stony  glen, 

Where  once  the  Gods  and  Titans  fought  their  fight, 
In  ages  hoar,  then  left  it  unto  men; 

She  saw  rocks  hurled  with  superhuman  might, 

And  dark  chaotic  powers  put  to  flight 
Long  long  ago,  when  first  this  sunny  world 

Of  Grecian  Gods  dawned  gleaming  on  the  sight, 
And  gloomy  deities  to  Tartarus  whirled. 

LXXI. 
And  then  she  went  through  silent  piney  dells, 

Where  she  would  hardly  dare  her  breath  to  hear, 
Lest  she  disturb  the  spirit  that  indwells 

The  oak,  the  bubbling  spring,  the  lonely  weir, 

Or  skims  high  woodlands  like  a  star  in  fear; 
The  Hamadryad's  lightest  lisp  she  heard, 

As  it  would  vanish  on  a  gossamer, 
And  oft  she  caught  and  kept  its  dying  word. 


98  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

LXXII. 

The  women  of  each  village  hugged  her  path, 
With  babe  at  breast  and  children  at  the  dress, 

A  kindly  look  and  speech  for  all  she  hath, 
Their  husbands  were  at  Aulis  in  the  stress, 
And  they  could  see  ahead  long  wretchedness; 

True  wives,  they  sent  by  her  some  word  or  token, 
To  those  they  loved,  whom  they  in  faithfulness 

Must  give  for  that  one  wife  whose  faith  was  broken. 

LXXHI. 
Past  Ephyre's  high  breast  she  quickly  rides, 

"Whose  city  lies  between  Poseidon's  knees, 
While  Aphrodite's  foam  laves  both  its  sides, 

And  Acrocorinthus  halts  the  stirring  breeze, 

Until  it  swoons  away  amid  the  trees 
To  soft  Idalian  kisses  round  a  shrine; 

Through  that  lax  luscious  air  the  maiden  flees, 
And  touches  not  her  lip  to  Corinth's  wine. 


CANTO  IT.  99 

LXXTV. 

She  rests  not  till  she  comes  unto  the  bound 
Which  sends  her  high  up  to  a  mountain  land, 

Where  ancient  fable  sported  with  the  sound 
Of  sweetest  minstrelsy,  or  chanson  grand, 
Hymning  the  mighty  gests  of  Hero's  hand. 

One  path  she  shuns  where  Theseus  of  yore 
With  stolen  Helen  fled  along  the  strand, 

The  Trojan  deed  presaging  long  before. 

LXXV. 
From  heights  she  passed  into  a  fruitful  dale, 

Which  fluttered  everywhere  with  silvery  leaves 
Of  Olives,  changing  sunlight  to  a  pale 

Moonlight  that  with  the  treetops  interweaves; 

Like  sobbing  heart  afar  the  orchard  heaves; 
Women  are  there  culling  the  fruit  alone, 

Yet  each  looks  up  at  passing  team,  and  leaves 
Her  task  awhile  to  think  of  some  one  gone. 


100  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

LXXVI. 

To  plain  of  Ceres  then  the  maiden  drove, 

"Where  the  broad  land  springs  into  yellow  com, 

At  hidden  tender  touch  of  Goddess'  love, 
As  if  out  of  the  earth  the  golden  morn 
With  a  new  sun  were  of  a  sudden  born; 

O'er  all  was  felt  the  sacred  mystery 

Of  man,  who  also  springs  from  night  forlorn 

To  day,  till  he  again  in  night  shall  lie. 

LXXVII. 
Through  many  a  grove  of  plaintain  and  of  myrtle, 

Over  Kephissus'  gentle  element, 
To  voice  of  nightingale  and  Attic  turtle, 

Mid  strains  of  seas  and  skies  and  mountains  blent, 

Koyally  into  Athena's  town  she  went; 
From  Pallas'  hill  she  looked  far  on  the  sea, 

Unto  its  very  bound  her  glance  she  sent, 
And  saw  the  empire  there  which  was  to  be. 


CANTO  IT.  101 

LXXVIII. 

The  Muses  sang  around  her  their  own  rule, 

As  she  did  loiter  on  their  sacred  hill, 
Where  was  intoned  the  note  of  every  school 

Which  hath  through  Time's  deep  bosom  sent  its  thrill 

Of  harmony — mind's  cunning,  hand's  skill; 
Then  looked  she  to  the  East  and  saw  the  proud 

High  threat  the  Greek  horizon  darkly  fill, 
But  soon  the  Attic  sun  smote  through  the  cloud. 

LXXIX, 
Over  the  radiant  hills  to  Marathon 

She  darts  as  if  she  held  Apollo's  ways* 
There  on  a  plain  she  saw  that  Attic  sun 

From  skies  descend  transfigured  in  a  blaze. 

Which  all  the  earth  illumined  with  its  rays; 
A  little  village  glowed  within  the  sunset  crest, 

As  drew  to  end  the  greatest  day  of  days, 
And  turned  down  Grecian  hills  into  the  West. 


102  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 


Another  note  was  sung  in  Marathon 

Mid  golden  cornfields  leaping  from  their  grave; 
She  stopped  along  the  sea  when  day  was  done, 

She  heard  the  never-ending  waters  rave, 

And  thought,  "Will  Asia  ever  cross  this  wave 
To  Greece,  as  now  to  Troy  we  Grecians  go  ? 

Such  deeds  bring  forth  their  like  however  brave, 
Ohtwhere  shall  break  this  endless  chain  of  wo  1 

LXXXI. 
She  came  to  Bhamnus,  town  of  ancient  fane, 

The  home  of  Nemesis,  the  Goddess  hoar 
Whose  blow  requites  on  man  his  action's  bane  1 

No  rest  she  found,  she  quit  the  temple  door, 

And  hurried  past  unto  the  lonely  shore, 
Where  of  that  Titaness  she  might  be  free, 

Whose  furious  word  is  vengeance  evermore; 
Sweet  peace  she  found  beside  the  yielding  sea. 


CANTO    II.  103 

LXXXII. 

All  day  her  chariot  wound  about  the  bank, 
Whose  sunny  path  the  whitest  pebbles  pave, 

To  smiling  stillness  the  wide  waters  sank 
Before  the  presence  of  the  maiden  brave, 
Or  rose  in  ripples  mild  her  feet  to  lave, 

When  she  would  walk  along  the  beached  sea; 
Oft  tresses  of  the  Nymphs  would  float  the  wave, 

Then  melt  into  the  blue  transparency, 

Lxxxm. 
As  Aulis  rises  slowly  into  view, 

She  hears  the  angry  bustle  of  the  blast, 
She  sees  the  waves  swell  up  with  trouble  new : 

And  drive  within  her  ken  a  slivered  mast, 

Which  breakers  smite,  till  it  on  land  be  cast; 
Then  reeling  ships  she  spies,  which  seaman  row, 

In  secret  nooks  they  huddle  all  aghast, 
As  if  to  shun  a  second  hidden  blow. 


104  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

LXXXIV. 

Iphigenia  rode  in  peaceful  mood 

Deeper  and  deeper  to  the  storm's  fierce  heart, 
Where  lone  within  his  tent  her  father  stood, 

Whose  tears  at  sight  of  her  began  to  start, 

And  ashen  quiverings  of  pain  to  dart 
Through  chorded  limbs,  tense  in  the  bitter  strain; 

Then  would  he  he  seek  suppression  of  the  smart, 
Grow  calm  apace,  till  tears  fell  down  again. 

LXXXV. 
"What  is  it  that  so  pains  thee,  father  dear? 

What  winds  are  those  I  heard  not  long  ago? 
I  see  that  thou  art  struggling  with  a  tear, 

Those  blasts  still  threaten  as  they  whirl  and  blow 

Far  out  upon  the  sea,  where  now  they  go; 
Their  biting  edge  I  touched  upon  my  way, 

Still  I  in  thee  can  feel  their  afterthroe; 
What  is  thy  sorrow?    Let  me  its  pang  allay. 


CANTO  IL  105 

LXXXVL 

While  yet  she  spake,  the  captains  one  by  one 

Dropped  in  to  speak  a  word  unto  the  chief; 
They  viewed  the  maid  who  soon  all  hearts  had  won, 

Yet  not  by  love  like  Helen,  but  by  grief; 

Fair  words  they  spake  of  deep  regard  but  brief, 
They  felt  the  awe,  and  in  her  look  could  see 

All  time  before  them  pass,  like  f ailing  leaf, 
Which  drops  to  earth,  and  leaves  the  heavens  free. 

LXXXVIL 
Achilles,  too,  had  sought  the  Leader's  tent, 

To  bid  a  grim  good-bye  to  chieftains  there; 
He  looked  upon  the  maiden's  face,  he  went 

Not  forth,  but  on  him  settled  unaware 

A  distant  view  of  something  more  than  fair, 
Than  Honor  worthier,  higher  than  Glory, 

He  wandered  with  it  far  up  in  the  air, 
While  it  to  him  alone  told  all  its  story. 


106  IPHIOENIA  AT  A ULIS. 

LXXXVIII. 

He  said  unto  himself:  "I  now  must  change, 
Old  Cheiron  never  could  have  taught  me  this, 

He  never  could  have  shown  the  vision  strange 
Now  shown  by  simple  maid,  a  little  miss, 
Whose  lips,  methinks,  I  could  forever  kiss; 

To  me  her  glance  is  more  than  Helen's  glance, 
Henceforth  its  guidance  I  shall  not  dismiss, 

Its  spell  may  yet  my  deepest  hours  entrance." 

LXXXIX.      /  h 
I\A^LL^ 

Then  Calchas  came^he  scarce  could  his  moan, 
He  hinted  that  he  had  a  word  to  say  apart, 

And  when  he  spake  unto  the  maid  alone, 
The  parting  of  his  lips  cleft  to  his  heart: 
"I  must  speak  forth  the  word  with  all  its  smart: 

That  ill  winds  cease  to  blow,  and  fair  ones  rise 
To  bear  the  Grecian  fleet  to  Troy,  thou  art 

To  be  to  Artemis  the  sacrifice.^- 


CANTO  II  107 

xc. 
"That  Helen  may  be  saved,  tliou  art  to  die, 

The  pure  must  give  itself  for  the  distained, 
It  is  the  world's  last  law,  which  to  defy 

Is  breach  for  which  the  man  will  be  arraigned 

Before  that  court  where  justice  is  not  feigned; 
Shun  wrong  of  shirking  what  is  on  thee  laid; 

Innocence  lost  by  guilt,  is  then  regained, 
When  the  pure  soul  its  offering  is  made. 

xci. 
"In  Troy's  own  wickedness  we  Greeks  are  strong; 

The  Goddess  now  demands  our  highest  meed; 
Then  only  may  we  right  the  Trojan  wrong, 

When  we  ourselves  the  way  to  right  may  lead; 

We  can  avenge  another's  wrongful  deed, 
Not  till  that  deed  out  of  our  heart  is  burned; 

Never  can  we  take  Troy  till  we  are  freed 
Of  Troy's  own  guilt,  and  to  ourselves  returned. 


108  IPHIGEN1A  AT  AULIS. 

xcn. 
"From  Zeus  supreme  conies  down  one  great  behest 

That  good  men  owe  themselves  unto  the  bad; 
Else,  were  they  hardly  good,  and  never  blest 

Through  that  high  suffering  that  pure  and  glad 

Maketh  all  hearts  by  making  them  so  sad ; 
From  Helen's  beauty  thou  wilt  bear  the  prize, 

Thy  land  in  thee  its  rescue  will  have  had, 
And  the  whole  world  in  thee  its  sacrifice." 

xcin. 
So  spake  the  holy  Priest,  a  noble  man, 

Who  wrought  not  for  himself,  for  all  he  wrought; 
The  Future  in  the  Now  he  well  could  scan, 

That  which  must  be  forever  was  his  thought, 

And  that  was  what  he  to  his  people  taught; 
Yet  truest  Greek  he  was,  most  true  of  all, 

What  Hellas  was  to  Time  itself  he  sought, 
Not  to  the  East  he  looked,  not  to  Troy's  fall, 


CANTO  IL  109 

XC1V. 

But  in  the  West  lie  saw  futurity 

Grow  out  the  deed  of  heavy  suffering, 
Saw  a  new  world  rise  out  the  farthest  sea, 

And  a  new  Hellas  in  it  upward  spring, 

And  to  mankind  afresh  its  blessing  bring; 
Far-off  dim  visions  and  blest  auguries, 

Snatches  of  song  he  heard  the  poets  sing, 
Hymning  in  ages  late  the  sacrifice. 

xcv. 
His  was  no  cruel  speech  but  tender  grace, 

With  every  word  his  own  great  heart  was  rent, 
And  if  he  could,  he  would  have  ta'en  her  place, 

For  her  endured  the  bitter  punishment; 

Into  her  sorrow  was  his  soul  so  blent 
That  she  could  nought  but  his  sweet  presence  bless, 

As  his  strong  thought  into  her  breast  he  sent 
Armed  with  his  pity  and  tender-heartedness. 


110  IPHIGENIA   AT  AULIS. 

XCVI. 

Thus  sighed  slie  answer  to  the  holy  Priest: 
"Oh  must  I  die,  who  love  iny  life,  so  young? 

And  must  I  now  be  slaughtered  like  a  beast 
At  the  blest  shrine  to  which  I  oft  have  clung, 
When  with  the  pain  of  life  I  have  been  stung  ? 

Have  mercy  on  me,  Goddess,  hope  is  spilt — 

The  howling  winds  through  all  the  shores  have  sung 

The  strain  of  vengeance  for  some  hidden  guilt. 

xcvn. 
"But  ah!  the  more  men  need  to  be  set  free; 

If  they  were  guiltless,  they  no  help  would  need; 
What  is  life  good  for,  but  to  give  it  thee  ? 

To  keep  it  for  myself  is  but  a  greed, 

To  yield  it  up  makes  of  it  fruitful  seed; 
Here  take  it,  I  give  the  last  of  earthly  joys, 

This  bloom  tear  from  my  cheek,  and  let  ine  bleed, 
Guide  me  to  the  altar's  ax — it  is  my  choice. " 


CANTO  II. 

XCVIII. 

Achilles  came  and  looked,  a  changed  man, 
He  hears  what  he  before  had  never  heard; 

He  saw  his  life  anew  and  made  its  plan, 
To  bitter  sacrifice  he  too  is  stirred 
By  that  sole  thrill  of  tender  maiden's  word; 

His  mien  superb  becomes  her  humble  thrall, 
Now  his  heroic  sword  he  will  engird, 

To  fight  not  for  his  glory,  but  for  all. 

4 

XCIX. 

"Ah  me !     I  know  I  am  short-lived  by  fate, 

But  I  prefer  to  die  as  thou  shalt  die; 
If  I  should  stay  at  home  I  might  live  late, 

And  pass  my  days  without  a  single  sigh; 

But  I  shall  equal  thee  in  destiny, 
And  give  myself  in  bond  to  sharpest  wo, 

For  thee  I  shall  my  very  wrath  deny, 
Be  placable  to  friend,  and  e'en  to  foe." 


112  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULTS. 

c. 

So  thought  Achilles  then,  when  he  had  seen 
In  wonderment  of  love  that  spirit  staid; 

But  on  the  Trojan  plain  in  quarrel  keen 
Hereafter  will  forget  the  vow  he  made, 
And  turn  to  wrath  that  will  not  soon  be  laid, 

Unmindful  of  his  country, 'friend,  and  cause, 
For  vanished  is  the  image  of  the  maid; 

Dark  lines  through  his  bright  fame  a  Fury  draws. 

CL 
Yet  memory  of  her  afresh  will  live 

"When  he  doth  weep  o'er  dear  Patroclus  slain: 
He  rueful  will  his  Grecian  foe  forgive, 

Now  softened  by  the  mighty  mass  of  pain; 

Yet  to  f orgetfulness  will  fall  again 
And  her  sweet  image  blot  in  Trojan  strife; 

Then  will  compassion  cleanse  at  last  that  stain, 
And  give  to  Priam  old  both  son  and  lif  e. 


CANTO  IL  113 

en. 
Kumor  went  buzzmg  through  the  gathered  Greeks, 

It  told  the  sacrifice  of  high  degree, 
Whose  blood  would  end  delay  of  many  weeks, 

And  bring  fair  winds  upon  a  tranquil  sea, 

Yet  fetching  too  the  fierce  fatality. 
Their  hearts  were  torn,  it  was  a  time  of  wail, 

Low  words  they  moaned  of  crushed  anxiety, 
That  day  all  wished  the  fleet  might  never  sail. 

cm. 
Still  the  Euboic  hills  detained  the  sun, 

Who  threw  upon  their  peaks  his  last  of  light 
For  that  one  day,  and  then  his  course  was  done; 

In  silence  flew  the  silken  wings  of  night, 

To  brush  out  of  the  skies  the  cloudlets  bright, 
And  tinted  films  hung  high  on  heaven's  way; 

Then  sank  into  the  mist  the  mountain  height, 
And  twilight  poured  its  flood  on  Aulis'  bay. 


114  1PHIGENIA    AT  AULIS. 

civ. 
Meantime,  they  bore  tlie  maiden  to  the  shrine, 

Which  lay  upon  a  knoll  within  a  wood; 
There  Calchas  led  her  through  a  weeping  line 

Of  massive  men,  who  round  her  pathway  stood, 

To  see  the  highest  worth  of  womanhood; 
The  hearts  of  all  burst  out  in  tearful  rue, 

As  they  beheld  in  her  what  was  the  good, 
And  made  the  vow  to  her  they  would  be  true. 

cv. 
The  fair  white  fane  of  marbled  Artemis 

A  smile  into  the  twilight  seemed  to  throw ; 
From  its  fond  pillars  flowed  a  silent  kiss 

Which  showered  love  around  the  deed  of  wo, 

As  there  in  flight  of  stone  she  grasped  her  bow 
To  save  a  fleeing  fawn  from  savage  chase ; 

She  touched  the  arrow  in  a  sacred  glow, 
The  very  marble  lit  up  in  her  face. 


CANTO  IT.  115 

cvi. 
Within  the  door  the  maiden  disappears, 

A  cloud  descends  and  fills  the  holy  space, 
And  for  a  moment  sheds  its  gentle  tears, 

Till  every  leaf  and  grass-blade  in  the  place 

Hath  on  it  one  pure  drop  of  sorrow's  grace, 
And  bends  to  let  it  fall  upon  the  ground, 

Which  swallows  it  at  once  and  shows  no  trace, 
Though  leaf  and  grass,  freed  from  the  weight,  rebound, 

cvn. 
But  soon  with  ragged  rent  is  pierced  the  cloud, 

And  through  it  looks  the  silver-shining  moon, 
Which  softly  strokes  the  melancholy  crowd, 

And  to  a  music  sweet  doth  them  attune, 

While  they  quite  sink  away  into  its  swoon; 
It  drives  far  off  the  night  with  the  dark  cloud, 

And  out  the  air  into  her  lunar  noon 
The  Goddess  stepped  at  once  and  spake  aloud: 


116  IPHIGENIA  AT  A ULIS. 


CVJII. 


"  Thy  time  is  full,  tliee  have  I  come  to  save, 
As  promised  in  Mycenae  from  my  shrine; 

Men  say  I  in  revenge  thy  life  must  have, 
Because  thy  father  slew  with  heart  malign 
The  guiltless  fawn  he  knew  I  lored  as  mine ; 

But  no !  the  Goddess  must  not  vengeance  pay, 
Not  death  for  death  can  be  the  law  divine, 

Though  he  slay  mine,  his  shah1  I  never  slay. 

cix. 
"  The  Gods  must  not  revengeful  be  to  man, 

Else  they  will  not  escape  his  penalty; 
The  Gods  must  also  learn,  and  learn  they  can, 

To  give  up  hate,  and  turn  to  charity, 

Whereby  alone  we  Gods  are  whole  and  free. 
The  Greeks  shall  deem  thee  dead,  with  grief  be  racked, 

But  sacrifice  they  shah1  hereafter  see, 
And  find  the  richer  blessing  for  thine  act.5>% 


CANTO    II.  117 

ex, 
"  But  to  myself  I  shall  now  rescue  thee, 

I,  the  mild  Goddess  dare  not  take  thy  blood; 
Thee  shall  I  bear  away  to  Barbary, 

There  in  a  land  remote  to  do  the  good, 

Anew  the  offering  for  a  multitude 
Vaster  than  all  on  earth,  to  be  now  found; 

The  world,  all  time  thy  deed  will  yet  include, 
Far  wilt  thou  pass  beyond  the  Grecian  bound. 

CXI. 

"  This  hour  auspicious  gales  begin  to  blow, 

Helen,  the  erring  one,  is  to  return, 
The  armament  shall  crush  the  Trojan  foe 

Through  deed  of  thine  to-day,  which  men  will  burn 

To  imitate,  and  from  a  maiden  learn 
To  offer  life  for  land  and  family; 

With  Helen  home,  thou  too  wilt  homeward  turn, 
And  Greece  once  sayed,  is  saved  again  by  thee." 


118  IPHIOENIA  AT  A  VLIS. 

CXII. 

The  moon  has  fled  with  night,  and  timid  rays 
Of  rosy  dawn  into  the  heavens  rise; 

While  in  the  woods  a  godlike  presence  prays, 
Soft  hymns  of  triumph  float  up  to  the  skies. 
Bearing  aloft  a  world  of  harmonies; 

The  Greeks  rush  to  the  fane  to  hear  the  word, 
The  ax  unbloody  on  the  altar  lies, 

The  maid  is  gone,  and  naught  of  her  is  heard. 

CXIII. 

Asfconied  they  all  stand  at  plan  divine, 
But  see,  there  is  another  wonder  new: 

The  fawn  that  dead  was  lying  at  the  shrme, 
Rose  up  to  sudden  life  before  their  view, 
And  to  its  perfect  strength  at  once  it  grew  ; 

Unharmed  through  all  the  gazing  crowd  it  flees, 
No  stains  upon  the  grass  it  now  doth  strew, 

And  soon  from  sight  is  lost  amid  the  trees. 


CANTO  II. 

CXIV. 

A  wave  of  silent  sorrow  sways  the  host, 

No  heart  so  dumb  but  feels  the  common  pain; 

They  would  have  spared  her  death  at  any  cost, 
But  felt  somehow  it  was  her  greatest  gain 
And  theirs,  to  die  for  them  without  a  stain; 

A  universal  tear  doth  make  them  one — 
One  people  now,  and  ready  to  be  slain; 

By  that  sole  maiden's  deed  it  has  been  done, 

cxv. 
"  This  law  of  deity  each  man  must  find, 

Sorrow  alone  can  purify  the  heart, 
And  make  it  deeply  one  with  its  own  kind, 

Whereby  in  all  it  feels  its  own  keen  smart; 

Charity  then  comes  and  draws  the  dart, 
Compassion  cures,  yet  is  the  child  of  pain; 

The  Gods  give  first  a  loss,  in  loving  part, 
Whereby  to  give  in  turn  a  greater  gain." 


120  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

CXVI. 

Thus  Calclias  first  that  solemn  silence  broke, 
As  in  deep  thought  he  out  the  wood  did  wend, 

And  to  the  people  round  him  further  spoke: 
"  1  thought  the  maiden's  death  to  be  the  end 
To  which  the  Goddess  did  her  power  bend; 

But  I  the  priest  must  learn  a  lesson  late 

Through  this  dear  girl,  that  Gods  must  not  offend 

By  vengeance,  but  be  themselves  compassionate." 

cxvu. 
Then  Palamedes  spoke,  the  rightful  man: 

"  I  too  have  learned  the  lesson  of  this  day, 
And  a  new  glimpse  have  had  into  the  plan 

Of  Zeus  who  over  all  doth  bear  the  sway; 

In  pride  of  right  I  spurned  the  castaway, 
I  thought  myself  so  good,  her  not  t'endure; 

I  change,  I  go  to  Troy  for  Helen,  and  pray, 
For  the  distained  may  there  I  die  the  pure." 


CANTO  II.  121 

cxvm. 
All  Grecian  hearts  are  beating  to  one  throb, 

They  are  one  wave  of  vast  humanity, 
With  undertone  of  sigh  or  secret  sob, 

That  breaks  up  from  that  sympathetic  sea; 

Silent  is  glory  and  moral  vanity, 
Assemblies  are  not  needed,  there  is  heard 

An  inner  voice  of  last  authority, 
Which  every  man  obeys  without  a  word. 

cxix. 
They  go  down  to  the  beach  in  quietudej 

The  waters  rest  in  calm  transparency 
Reflecting  hill  and  cloud  in  peaceful  mood; 

They  go  into  a  thousand  ships  which  lie 

Upon  the  bay  beneath  the  tranquil  sky, 
They  touch  the  pictured  deep  with  muffled  oar, 

The  silent  tear  to  Hellas  says  good-bye, 
And  drops  at  thought  of  seeing  it  no  more. 


122  IPHIGENIA  AT  AULIS. 

cxx. 

Yet  with  a  heavier  sorrow  they  are  fraught, 

A  deeper  loss  than  Helen's  fills  the  host, 
Each  soul  within  the  fleet  has  this  one  thought, 

What's  Helen  saved  with  Iphigenia  lost  ? 

What  recompense  is  greater  than  the  cost  ? 
Unless  there  be  some  other  restoration 

Undreamt  by  Greek,  beauty  the  uttermost 
Will  never  save  itself  nor  save  the  nation. 

CXXI. 

Again  the  feeling  winds  begin  to  blow, 
Not  now  with  vengeful  whistle  of  a  squall, 

But  piping  a  delicious  music  low 

That  drives  the  fleet  to  its  soft  tuneful  fall, 
Whose  long  melodious  beats  the  oars  enthrall, 

Yet  underneath  a  note  of  sweet  distress 

Sings  in  the  winds,  and  tunes  the  souls  of  all 

To  tender  grief  akin  to  blessedness: 


CANTO  IL  123 

cxxn. 
"  Oh  let  us  sing  our  song,  our  farewell  song ! 

We  too,  the  blasts,  are  conquered  by  the  maid; 
However  long  we  blow,  however  strong, 

We  in  that  harmony  of  love  are  laid 

To  which  the  Gods  serene  the  world  have  made ; 
Whatever  be  the  time,  the  clime,  the  creed, 

Be  it  the  king  or  slave,  the  due  is  paid, 
For  pain,  for  gain,  we  blow  to  man  his  deed," 


CANTO  m. 

1PHIGENIA  AT  TAURIS. 


Far  in  the  north  imbedded  lies  a  sea, 
Around  whose  chilly  marge  the  tempests  rave, 

And  lash  its  forests  dark  of  savagery; 
Upon  the  dreary  shore  a  lonely  cave 
Leans  down  its  ragged  mouth  to  touch  the  wave, 

That  sends  into  the  deep  recess  a  moan 
On  endless  billows,  which  the  lintel  lave, 

Or  swell  to  kiss  the  dome  of  drooping  stone. 


CANTO  III.  125 

ii. 
One  narrow  heaving  path  of  watery  flow 

From  Hellas  leads  unto  that  far-off  place, 
Whereby  a  Grecian  ship  would  sometimes  go, 

And  break  the  silence  of  the  vasty  space, 

But  soon  would  fiee  in  fear  of  savage  race ; 
Or  if  the  vessel  ran  into  the  grot, 

All  perished  there  unseen  and  left  no  trace: 
This  Tauris  was,  to  Greek  a  fearful  spot. 

in. 
Here  was  the  fane  by  eldest  Titans  built, 

With  pillars  dropped  from  gemmed  ceilings  down; 
Upon  its  altar  human  blood  was  spilt 

Unto  an  idol  there  in  stony  gown, 

An  ugly  idol  with  a  horrid  frown, 
That  loved  to  see  the  victim  in  his  gore, 

Or  watch  him  in  the  surges  helpless  drown; 
The  Taurian  Goddess  she  who  held  this  shore. 


126  AGEMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER, 

IV. 

Within  the  grot  asleep  the  maiden  lay, 

Iphigenia,  there  divinely  borne ; 
She  woke  and  went  to  seek  the  radiant  day, 

But  saw  dim  fog-light  on  a  world  forlorn; 

The  heart  dropped  in  her  breast  to  see  that  morn, 
No  columns  wrought  upheld  in  joy  her  soul, 

She  only  saw  huge  rocks  by  water  worn, 
No  sunny  temple,  but  a  dark,  dank  hole. 

v. 
Such  was  the  change  from  her  fair  Grecian  home, 

No  trailing  vineyard  waved  within  her  look, 
With  leaves  and  vines  that  over  hillsides  roam, 

With  Bacchus  garlanded  along  the  brook, 

While  maids  from  trees  the  golden  fruitage  shook, 
Or  did  in  merry  song  ripe  clusters  cull ; 

No  God  or  Goddess  in  each  sacred  nook, 
In  sun-born  shape  revealed  the  Beautiful. 


CANTO  III.  127 

VI. 

The  Olive,  pyramid  of  fruit  and  green, 

Kose  not,  the  very  tree  of  Pallas  wise; 
The  sunshine  came,  but  not  with  the  soft  sheen 

That  glows  within  the  liquid  Doric  skies, 

And  falls  on  sea  and  land  a  Paradise: 
No  smiling  sunlike  rays  of  yellow  corn 

Shot  up  to  greet  the  glad  festivities, 
And  wrapped  the  earth  in  endless  golden  morn. 

VII. 

The  howl  was  heard  of  savage  roaming  beast, 
Above  the  endless  sough  of  forest  drear; 

Each  preyed  on  each,  from  largest  to  the  least, 
The  lion  in  his  hunt  would  straggle  near, 
His  bloody  trail  would  print  the  stones  with  fear; 

The  falcon  in  the  skies  would  claw  the  dove, 
The  cruel  pard  below  would  tear  the  deer, 

The  eagle  clove  the  hare,  then  soared  above. 


128  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

VIII. 

Wild  were  the  beasts,  and  wilder  yet  tlie  men; 

Of  whom  a  sudden  rout  sprang  out  the  wood, 
And  hurried  to  the  fane  through  tangled  fen, 

A  shaggy  fell  hung  round  the  body  nude, 

They  howled  in  savage  dance  and  gesture  rude, 
While  in  their  midst  a  prisoner  was  bound; 

Expecting  death,  he  oft  in  terror  stood, 
Or  oft  was  fiercely  dragged  along  the  ground. 

» 

IX. 

Yet  once  from  his  tormentors  he  did  leap, 
And  fled  away  as  fleet  as  any  deer, 

And  sprang «into  the  sea  far  down  a  steep; 
The  maiden  looked  with  sympathetic  fear, 
To  her  at  once  the  wretched  man  grew  dear; 

She  hoped  he  might  escape  but  he  was  caught, 
Whereat  within  her  eye  beat  up  the  tear, 

As  she  on  him  and  on  herself  too,  thought. 


CANTO  III.  129 


Him  struggling  to  that  very  fane  they  bore, 

A  sacrifice  to  Goddess  there  to  pay, 
They  saw  what  they  had  never  seen  before, 

A  maiden  put  herself  within  their  way; 

She  bade  them  not  the  guiltless  captive  slay, 
But  offered  them  herself  instead  of  him; 

Blood  ceased  to  flow  on  Taurian  shrine  that  day, 
And  reverence  did  soften  bosoms  grim. 

XI. 

Thoas  was  there,  of  all  that  region  king; 

He  kept  his  people  back  by  his  strong  word, 
When  he  beheld  the  maiden  offering; 

By  her  one  look  his  heart  was  strangely  stirred, 

Then  by  her  gentle  hand  he  was  deterred; 
Awe  seized  him,  as  in  her  the  Gods  above 

He  saw,  and  then  a  deeper  note  he  heard: 
The  awe  divine  began  to  whisper  love. 


130  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTEB. 

XII. 

But  she  who  once  was  by  the  Goddess  spared, 

She  must  now  others  save  in  that  same  need; 
Again  she  dares  what  she  at  Aulis  dared, 

An  offering  for  her  own  kind  to  bleed; 

It  is  the  consecration  of  her  deed, 
Her  sacrifice  she  will  henceforth  repeat, 

Until  it  is  become  her  life  and  creed, 
And  every  day  her  death  she  dares  to  meet. 

XIII. 

She  is  to  tame  to  peace  those  bosoms  wild, 
And  make  them  lose  their  mad  delight  in  blood; 

It  is  her  task  to  put  her  spirit  mild 
Into  the  very  soil  whereon  she  stood, 
And  make  it  bear  her  image  of  the  good; 

When  she  the  fierce  barbarian  hath  won, 
Vengeance  no  more  shall  be  his  daily  food, 

He  shall  forever  do  as  she  hath  done. 


CANTO  HL  131 

xiv. 
Still  longed  she  for  her  own  dear  native  land, 

The  Hellas  far  away,  which  had  her  slain 
In  its  own  thought,  yet  by  divine  command, 

When  she  at  Aulis  entered  Dian's  fane ; 

But  now  the  long,  long  years  she  must  remain 
Within  this  distant  savage  wilderness, 

Busy  until  her  time  be  come  again; 
Yet  could  she  not  the  bitter  sigh  suppress. 

xv. 
"How  heavy  o'er  me  hang  these  leaden  skies! 

Oh  where  is  sunshine,  where  my  own  fair  clime, 
And  its  fair  works  that  everywhere  uprise 

In  splendor  on  the  land  and  sea  sublime ! 

The  song  and  dance  of  youths  in  golden  prime, 
Labors  of  men,  the  sowing  of  the  seed, 

The  forms  of  Gods  far  looking  down  on  Time, 
The  heroes  great  and  the  heroic  deed ! 


132  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XVI. 

"It  is  a  gloomy  land,  a  savage  brood, 
"Where  I  must  pass  my  youthful  holiday; 

The  people  know  nought  of  the  fair  or  good, 
But  from  all  human  feeling  turn  away, 
They  kill  themselves,  and  me  perchance  will  slay. 

Yet  I  have  now  to  change  them  by  my  life; 
Yes,  home  is  here,  I  feel,  and  I  must  stay, 

And  bring  a  world  of  peace  out  of  the  strife. 

xvn. 
"  The  time  has  come,  another  Greece  to  make 

In  new-born  hope  spring  from  this  weary  wild; 
I  shall  both  for  its  own  and  for  my  sake 

Transform  it  daily  to  the  image  mild 

Which  hath  on  men  from  Hellas  ever  smiled; 
I  think  the  Olive  may  be  hither  brought, 

Though  of  the  sunny  skies  it  be  the  child, 
But  surely  works  of  hand  may  here  be  wrought. 


CANTO  TIL  133 

XVIII. 

"The  labors  of  the  oxen  at  the  plow 

Are  first  to  tame  to  peace  the  savage  earth; 

In  brotherhood  the  horse,  and  sheep,  and  cow 
Shall  gather  round  the  tranquil  human  hearth, 
And  even  brutes  receive  their  higher  worth; 

This  horrent  waste  I  see  rise  up  before 
All  others  hitherto  in  a  new  birth : 

Will  be  what  Hellas  is,  it  will  be  more." 

XIX. 

So  flashed  afar  in  dreams  her  shadowy  thought : 
More  than  what  Hellas  hath  she  will  impart 

Unto  that  savage  folk ;  it  will  be  taught 
A  deeper  Beauty  and  a  holier  Art, 
"Which  is  the  inner  flow  of  human  heart; 

The  people  will  to  nobler  regions  rise; 

Her  deed,  her  life  become  their  highest  part, 

She  will  endow  them  with  her  sacrifice. 


134  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

xx. 
The  bound  of  Barbary  she  will  transcend, 

And  make  all  Greek  beyond  the  Grecian  pale ; 
The  gentile  hate  in  her  will  have  an  end 

When  her  new  spirit  shall  in  love  prevail, 

And  free  the  prisoned  world  from  its  own  jail; 
Old  Hellas  too,  will  share  her  blessing  great, 

The  distant  threat  she  sweeps  from  hill  and  dale, 
For  the  Hellenic  land  she  breaks  down  Fate. 

XXI. 

And  there  she  stayed  for  twenty  years 
With  that  sole  purpose  in  her  sincere  breast; 

She  moved  through  troubled  seas  of  hopes  and  fears, 
Still  on  she  went  in  faith  with  all  her  zest, 
And  never  failed  to  think  and  do  the  best; 

The  people  came  to  see  her  from  afar, 

They  went  away  with  her  high  soul  possessed, 

And  to  her  looking  up  as  to  their  star. 


CANTO  II.  135 

xxn. 
The  noisome  grot  she  turned  to  temple  fair, 

With  columns  white  that  stood  along  the  seas, 
And  saw  their  limpid  beauty  imaged  there, 

With  wavy  architrave  and  flowing  frieze, 

And  sculptured  shapes  of  liquid  deities; 
The  ugly  idol  rose  no  more  to  view, 

The  Taurian  shrine  no  bloody  death  decrees, 
The  Goddess  is  herself  transformed  too. 

XXIII. 

With  her  are  all  the  Gods  of  Greece  transformed 

Into  fresh  founts  of  mild  beatitude, 
By  a  new  inner  sun  their  looks  are  warmed, 

Not  now  the  horrid  Taurian  monster  rude, 

Whose  stony  frown  was  with  cold  death  bedewed, 
But  sweet  Greek  Artemis  is  throned  above, 

The  Goddess  who  refused  the  maiden's  blood, 
And  looked  beyond  Olympus,  seat  of  Jove. 


136  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

XXIV. 

Demeter  too,  sought  in  that  land  a  home, 

Where  she  could  sow  broad-cast  her  foodful  seed, 

Which  springs  on  heights  or  low  in  valleys  loam, 
Wherewith  she  might  the  teeming  millions  feed, 
And  no  one  in  her  bounty  suffer  need; 

The  cattle  grazed  on  every  hill  in  peace, 

Through  endless  plains  of  pasture  roamed  the  steed, 

The  mother  Earth  gave  forth  her  full  increase. 

xxv. 

And  all  the  land  was  filled  with  gardens  sweet, 
WTiich  Pallas  made  her  favored  dwelling  place; 

Where  stood  fair  boys  of  bronze  that  moved  their  feet, 
And  steeds  of  stone  that  ran  the  swiftest  race, 
And  tripods  moving  to  and  fro  with  grace; 

Within  each  brazen  breast  there  breathed  sweet  life, 
The  fiercest  struggle  calmed  in  marble  face, 

That  told  the  Greek  and  the  Barbarian  strife. 


CANTO   III.  137 

XXVI. 

The  maiden  taught  the  labors  of  the  loom, 
In  which  her  own  strange  life  she  deftly  wove, 

Her  youth's  deep  dream,  and  then  her  sudden  doom; 
Her  web  could  tell  how  the  great  heroes  strove, 
Reveal  the  deed  of  wrath,  the  deed  of  love, 

Her  Taurian  life  she  did  therein  unfold, 
How  it  flowed  on  within  the  plan  of  Jove: 

In  gold  and  purple  threads  the  tale  was  told. 

XXVII. 

She  tells  anew  the  Grecian  histories, 

The  mighty  gests  of  great  Bellerophon, 
Yet  coupled  with  the  saddest  destinies, 

How  highest  action  holds  the  deepest  groan, 

And  greatness  is  but  suffering  alone ; 
The  Hero  vanquished  monsters  of  the  East, 

And  made  the  fair  Hellenic  world  his  own, 
Then  senseless  roamed  the  field  as  any  beast. 


138  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXVIII. 

She  tells  the  fairest  story  of  the  sea, 

Of  ship  that  bore  the  princely  Argonaut; 

She  lapped  the  tale  in  folds  of  poesy 

More  rich  than  all  the  gold  the  vessel  brought, 
Yet  with  her  own  deep  store  of  wisdom  fraught; 

Barbaric  minds  now  build  that  ship  of  Greece, 
Which  newer  Colchian  treasures  further  sought, 

And  bore  to  their  own  land  the  Golden  Fleece. 

XXIX. 

But  of  the  many  wondrous  tales  she  told, 
The  chief  was  legend  of  stout  Hercules, 

The  mighty  darling  of  romances  old, 

Who  had  to  labor  through  all  lands  and  seas, 
Until  the  earth  of  his  fierce  foes  he  frees; 

He  drained  the  bog,  the  mountain  way  he  rent, 
He  turned  the  rivers,  felled  the  forest  trees, 

Through  him  this  earth  was  made  man's  instrument. 


CANTO  III.  139 

XXX. 

The  wildest  beasts,  the  wildest  men  he  tamed, 
When  Greece  her  wilderness  began  to  shed, 

And  the  first  law  for  human  dwelling  framed; 
But  when  he  over  every  land  had  sped, 
And  bravely  freed  it  of  its  monsters  dread, 

He  must  descend  to  Hades,  free  it  too, 

Of  its  damned  dog,  which  guards  the  gloomy  dead; 

Both  worlds,  above,  below  he  must  pass  through. 

XXXI. 

To  the  Barbarians  the  myth  she  sings, 

Which  they  take  up  and  sing'  in  their  own  tongue 
Through  all  the  distant  realms  of  icy  kings, 

Beside  the  northern  seas,  and  up  among 

The  frosty  blasts,  whence  Boreas  is  flung 
Upon  the  South,  where  scarce  the  sun  will  shine ; 

Deep  unknown  rivers  float  the  strains  there  sung, 
And  bards  chant  from  the  Danube  to  the  Rhine. 


140  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXXII. 

The  Getans  of  the  farthest  Dacian  plain 
Catch  up  the  echo  of  Hellenic  lay, 

And  warp  and  weave  it  in  their  Gothic  strain, 
That  floats  beneath  the  Hypeborean  day, 
And  wraps  itself  in  misty  folds  of  gray, 

Far,  far  beyond  the  sunny  Ionian  skies, 
Where  now  Europa  sleeps  her  time  away, 

And  where  in  might  hereafter  she  will  rise. 

xxxm. 
In  magic  spall  of  strange  barbaric  measures 

Are  hymned  those  antique  fables  never  trite ; 
And  all  the  storied  world  of  Grecian  treasures 

Is  richly  there  inlaid  with  fancies  bright, 

That  flash  and  soar  in  new  poetic  flight, 
Though  they  still  keep  their  first  Hellenic  soul; 

The  ancient  germ  doth  now  unfold  to  light, 
And  its  deep  hidden  wealth  in  time  unroll 


CANTO  III.  141 

XXXIV. 

A  weird  spirit  entered  in  the  word, 

Which  danced  as  if  possessed  and  sparkled  round; 
And  by  some  harmony  most  deeply  stirred, 

It  wooed  another  like  itself  in  sound, 

Until  the  happy  pair  were  linked  and  bound; 
So  word  would  chase  another  word  to  kiss, 

In  many  strains  of  love  they  locked  and  wound, 
And  gave  to  man  a  foretaste  of  his  bliss. 

xxxv. 
Through  all  that  wilderness  sang  Helen's  story, 

In  sweet  melodic  concords  of  the  rhyme, 
And  builded  up  afresh  in  ancient  glory, 

Though  now  transplanted  from  its  Grecian  clime, 

And  moving  to  another  tune  and  time ; 
The  veiy  sounds  of  it  were  wont  to  wed, 

As  winged  with  Eros,  they  uprose  sublime, 
And  glowed  in  raptured  flight  with  passion  red. 


142  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

A 
XXXVI. 

It  melted  to  its  thrill  the  wildest  heart. 

Which  felt  the  honeyed  spell  of  that  great  love, 
And  felt  the  pain,  which  was  its  other  part, 

Sent  down  on  guilty  pair  from  Gods  above; 

The  human  deed  inside  the  will  of  Jove, 
With  all  the  strains  of  noble  minstrelsy, 

In  one  vast  strand  of  destiny  was  wove; 
That  guilt,  to  be  o'ercome  had  first  to  be. 

XXXVII. 

Far  on  the  air  resounds  that  song  of  songs, 
Through  all  the  spacious  realms  of  Barbary, 

It  flames  the  hearts  of  Bards,  who  rise  in  throngs, 
To  sing  that  lay  of  deep  fatality, 
And  then  the  still  more  deep  recovery; 

It  is  the  eternal  song  which  they  must  sing, 
They  hymn  in  it  their  own  true  history, 

What  Time  has  brought  and  will  forever  bring. 


CANTO  IlL  143 

XXXVIII. 

The  lay  of  Helen  far  resounded  then, 

And  still  resounds  afresh  through  all  those  lands; 
It  weaves  its  magic  chain  in  souls  of  men, 

And  holds  them  tranced  in  its  fine  golden  bands 

Which  seem  to  grow  to  be  life's  very  strands; 
The  oldest  song  and  yet  the  latest  too, 

It  bears  the  human  and  divine  commands, 
True  in  that  elder  world  and  in  this  new. 

xxxix. 
Ah  me,  could  I  but  catch  one  straying  shred 

Of  that  high  strain  and  fix  it  in  my  line, 
As  it  comes  floating  down  to  music  wed, 

I,  the  barbaric  singer,  might  now  shine 

And  call  my  sisters  all  the  Muses  nine. 
But  one  is  born  too  late,  aye,  or  too  soon; 

*T  is  all  the  same,  without  the  light  divine, 
To  watch  at  night  or  go  to  bed  at  noon. 


144  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

XL. 

The  maiden  teaches  a  yet  nobler  lay — 

It  is  the  lay  of  Helen's  restoration 
Through  her  own  sacrifice,  upon  that  day 

When  she  dared  offer  life  for  the  salvation 

Of  the  lost  woman  and  the  lost  nation; 
Through  that  high  deed  was  broke  the  future  path 

Whereon  man  travels  to  his  godlike  station, 
And  with  him  bears  the  world  from  its  own  wrath. 

XLI. 
And  deeper  still  and  warmer  flowed  the  stream, 

The  tuneful  stream  of  song  in  pulses  great, 
Which  all  the  wilds  to  clear  away  did  seem, 

And  cleanse  the  savage  heart  of  all  its  hate ; 

It  was  the  song  of  maiden  dedicate 
In  barbarous  Tauris  now  as  once  in  Greece ; 

It  hymned  her  life  supreme,  there  consecrate 
That  world  as  well  as  Hellas  to  release. 


CANTO  IL  145 

XLIL 

She  shows  liow  eacli  is  to  regard  the  other, 

Deeper  than  difference  is  unity, 
The  man  is  to  behold  in  man  his  brother, 

And  bind  him  to  himself  in  kindred  tie; 

Hers  is  the  golden  word  of  charity, 
Which  stops  the  hate  of  men,  the  war  of  nations, 

Which  melts  to  one  the  human  family, 
And  interlinks  the  future  generations. 

XLIII. 
Many  a  Grecian  man  she  did  there  save 

From  wretched  wreck  along  the  rugged  coast, 
When  he  had  strayed  too  far  upon  the  wave; 

Shs  heard  of  sack  of  Troy  by  Argive  host, 

And  wanderings  of  Greeks  by  tempest  tossed; 
But  she  was  deeply  filled  with  other  thought: 

Greek  or  Barbarian,  if  he  were  lost, 
In  one  great  deed  of  love  to  save  she  sought 


146  AGAMEMNON'S   DAUGHTER. 

XLIV. 

And  then  she  would  transform  him  to  her  life, 
She  lights  herself  into  the  hearts  of  all, 

Whereby  she  puts  an  end  to  mortal  strife 

'Tween  East  and  "West  where  stands  the  Trojan  wall, 
Which  she  will  take,  not  by  the  city's  fall, 

She  will  no  lands  lay  waste,  no  towns  destroy, 
She  give  both  sides  her  image  magical, 

With  it  she  takes,  and  thereby  saves  old  Troy. 

XLV. 
Band  after  band  of  priestesses  she  trained, 

Whom  to  the  deepest  wilderness  she  sent; 
Of  hardship,  toil,  and  death  they  never  plained, 

They  spurned  their  home  and  welcomed  banishment; 

For  savage  man  and  child  their  lives  were  spent, 
To  whom  they  bore  the  lamp  of  their  great  school; 

Into  the  frozen,  fiery  zone  they  went, 
And  burst  upon  the  shore  of  farthest  Thule. 


CANTO  ITL  147 

XLVI. 

They  stood  beside  the  broad  Atlantic  seas, 

Whose  waters  measureless  seemed  their  last  bound; 

But  soon  to  land  of  far  Hesperides, 

They  crossed  the  wave,  where  a  new  world  was  found, 
And  they  at  once  began  to  break  the  ground; 

Through  wilder,  vaster  forests  on  they  went, 
O'er  mighty  rivers,  till  they  made  their  round, 

And  spanned  with  bridge  of  light  a  continent. 

XLVII. 

These  women  were  the  greatest  conquerors, 
Theirs,  too,  the  lasting  victory  has  been, 

Though  it  was  never  gained  in  cruel  wars, 
The  bloody  cutting  sword  was  not  their  mean, 
They  used  a  brighter  weapon  and  more  keen, 

Their  mind  it  was  by  which  this  deed  was  done; 
They  wrapped  the  earth  in  zones  of  mental  sheen, 

To  make  the  wide  world  one  and  keep  it  one. 


148  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XLVIII. 

How  all  that  people  loved  her,  called  her  blest ! 

Her  as  a  Goddess  they  would  fain  adore, 
She  ever  called  up  in  them  what  was  best; 

King  Thoas  was  the  man  who  loved  her  more 

Than  any  other  on  the  Taurian  shore; 
A  noble  man,  and  a  yet  nobler  king, 

Of  ruler's  virtues  he  possessed  the  store, 
He  sought  like  her  to  be  an  offering. 

XLIX. 
The  days  roll  on,  the  mighty  years  roll  on, 

Devotion  in  him  suffers  a  slow  change, 
No  longer  awe  of  her  religion 

He  feels,  but  to  a  transformation  strange 

He  falls,  which  doth  his  life  and  hers  derange; 
The  king  now  loves  her  with  a  lover's  love, 

Into  his  bride  he  will  the  priestess  change, 
And  from  her  maiden  destiny  will  move. 


CANTO  TIL  149 

L. 

Still  she  doth  long  for  her  far  native  land, 

To  her  Greek  folk  she  knows  she  must  return, 
They  are  to  be  made  free  by  her  own  hand 

From  Trojan  strifes,  from  Fates  and  Furies  stern; 

The  Greek  in  thought  has  slain  her,  and  must  yearn 
Her  once  again  in  his  own  world  to  see; 

All  Hellas  has  through  her  anew  to  learn 
To  be  transformed  as  well  as  Barbary. 

LI. 
Helen  they  have  restored  with  mighty  arm; 

A  deeper  restoration  must  be  won, 
Which  Iphigenia  brings  without  a  harm; 

She  teaches  them  to  do  what  she  has  done, 

Her  double  sacrifice  they  must  not  shun, 
The  vengeful  must  to  helpful  heart  be  turned, 

Then  is  Greek  wrong  to  her  for  aye  undone, 
Her  image  is  into  their  bosoms  burned. 


150  AGEMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LII. 

In  royal  suit  she  day  by  day  is  pressed, 
Which  she  must  meet  by  craft,  a  trial  new 

That  bears  the  deepest  discord  in  her  breast; 
Her  heart  by  double  duty  cut  in  two 
She  feels;  to  Truth  the  first  she  must  be  true, 

Yet  to  her  mission  true;  if  she  deceive 
The  King,  it  will  her  very  life  undo, 

Yet  her  last  destiny  she  cannot  leave. 

LIII. 
Suspicion  darkly  broods  in  high-born  breast, 

The  King  begins  to  change  his  confidence; 
The  burden  of  his  heart  gives  him  no  rest, 

In  every  act  of  hers  he  sees  offence, 

Even  her  good  he  notes  as  insolence, 
The  savage,  long  suppressed,  begins  to  burn, 

To  cruel  thoughts  are  changed  his  new  intents, 
To  ancient  Taurian  times  he  will  return. 


CANTO  III  151 

LIV. 

One  day  he  sends  his  trusty  messenger, 

Demanding  answer  to  be  brought  forthright; 

Again  she  seeks  her  pretext  to  defer, 

And  turns  her  step  to  hasten  out  of  sight 
Into  the  fane,  when  suddenly  in  might 

The  King  appears,  and  wrathful  to  her  speaks; 
As  if  he  had  a  battle  there  to  fight, 

His  eyes  flash  vengeance  which  the  savage  wreaks: 

LV. 
"  Thy  subtle  Grecian  craft  will  do  no  good, 

Thy  answer  on  the  morrow  I  must  have; 
For  thee  I  stopped  the  flow  of  human  blood, 

I  from  the  gory  altar  did  thee  save 

When  savages  did  fiercely  round  thee  rave, 
I  made  thee  greatest  power  in  my  state, 

Thy  power  through  the  world  I  to  thee  gave : 
But  now  I  feel  my  love  turn  into  hate. 


152  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LVI. 

"  The  wild  man's  heart  once  more  begins  to  rise, 
My  deadly  foe  shall  be  again  the  Greek, 

Vengeance  comes  back,  within  I  hear  its  cries 
To  rash  its  claws  into  thy  visage  meek; 
Thy  labors  to  undo  is  what  I  seek, 

Ingratitude  I  shall  re-pay  to  thee, 

7" 

A  maddened  savage  I  revenge  shall  weak, 

This  altar's  victim  now  thou  art  to  be." 

LVII. 
In  rage  he  turns  away,  she  doth  appeal 

Once  more  unto  the  Goddess  at  her  shrine: 
"High  Virgin,  thou  who  didst  in  light  reveal 

Thyself  to  me,  and  take  me  to  be  thine, 

Didst  make  thy  very  ministry  be  mine, 
And  promise  me  return  to  my  dear  land, 

Me,  fragile  bearer  of  thy  plan  divine, 
Oh  help  me  execute  thy  high  command. 


CANTO  III,  153 

LXIII. 

"  Like  Helen  let  me  not  from  thee  be  taken, 

Ariose  lot  Dardanian  now  threatens  me; 
Must  I  from  tliee,  Protectress,  turn  forsaken, 

To  Aphrodite  given  o'er,  to  be 

In  foreign  land  held  in  captivity? 
Another  Trojan  war,  yet  far  more  dread, 

More  stained  with  Grecian  blood  I  can  foresee, 
And  in  that  war  I  shall  return,  but  dead. 

LIX. 
"Thou  Goddess  chaste,  to  thine  own  love  enthrall 

This  noble  man's  still  savage  love,  I  pray, 
Which  seeks  me  for  itself  and  not  for  all, 

Immortal  thou  beam  out  my  mortal  clay, 

That  he  through  passion  rise  to  thy  clear  day. 
Be  not  barbaric  Tauris  doomed  like  Troy, 

Let  not  good  Thoas  cast  his  gain  away, 
And  by  enslaving  me  himself  destroy." 


154  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LX. 

While  thus  she  prayed,  far  out  at  sea  a  ship 

Was  seen  to  struggle  through  the  plunging  wave; 

.Deep  in  the  watery  chasm  it  would  clip, 

Then  from  the  top  of  highest  surge  it  drave, 
Till  scarce  its  keel  the  madding  floods  could  lave; 

Again  would  sink  and  almost  disappear, 

Then  rise  and  rear  in  air  from  its  wet  grave, 

While  ever  to  the  land  it  drew  anear. 

LXI. 
In  steady  strife  with  that  wild  element 

The  oarsmen  long  had  beat  the  sullen  brine ; 
But  now  they  many  feverish  glances  sent 

To  see  what  on  the  shore  might  give  a  sign; 

They  saw  around  them  rise  a  walled  line 
Of  sea-smit  rock  on  which  they  read  their  doubt; 

Oft  had  they  heard  it  was  a  land  malign, 
Still  pulled  they  on,  and  dared  with  bosoms  stout. 


CANTO  III  155 

LXII. 

From  far-off  Hellas  they  had  hither  come ; 

They  took  to  ship  at  Aulis,  in  the  bay 
Where  many  years  agone  a  troubled  hum 

Of  men  would  o'er  the  waters  aimless  stray; 

But  this  ship  northward  cut  its  lonely  way, 
And  passed  Olympus  lofty  on  the  left, 

Where  happy  Gods  dwell  in  eternal  day, 
And  of  the  song  and  feast  are  never  reft. 

LXIII. 
The  ship  threads  narrow  Hellespont, 

Darts  through  the  jaws  of  fierce  Symplegades, 
Where  only  Jove's  swift-flying  dove  is  wont 

To  pass,  when  borne  on  strong  Olympian  breeze ; 

The  ship  broke  into  solitary  seas 
Which  were  begirt  with  distant  unknown  world; 

The  bonded  Euxine  felt  a  strange  release, 
And  with  new  life  its  ancient  billows  whirled. 


156  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

Lxrv. 
Two  Grecian  Youths  were  sitting  on  the  deck, 

The  one  did  seem  to  guide  the  ship  in  thought, 
His  face  was  graven  with  a  fearful  wreck, 

And  showed  deep  netted  storm-lines  interwrought 

Into  his  life,  which  the  rough  days  had  brought, 
The  other  let  no  glance  turn  from  his  mate, 

Affection  overflowed  his  eyes,  yet  fraught 
With  wearied  sorrow,  watching  long  and  late. 

LXV. 
One  Orestes^was,  slayer  of  his  mother, 

Whom  Furies  had  at  home  pursued  to  rend; 
Pylades,  soul  sympathetic,  was  the  other, 

He  was  the  Grecian  Hero,  but  as  friend, 

Whose  heart,  not  guilt  or  glory,  did  him  send 
Along  with  Agamemnon's  wretched  son, 

Until  the  frenzied  mind  might  haply  mend, 
Or  of  this  life  the  frantic  trip  be  done. 


CANTO    III.  1 

LXVI. 

Upon  them  lay  a  stern  divine  command, 
The  Delphic  God  bade  them  the  sister  find, 

And  said  she  was  detained  in  barbarous  land 
At  Tauris,  where  she  kept  her  fervent  rnind 
To  be  restored  to  her  own  Grecian  kind. 

Apollo's  sister  Artemis  they  thought, 

•To  the  wise  God's  deep  meaning  they  were  blind, 

But  clearest  truth  from  error  dark  is  wrought. 

LXVII. 
Far  had  they  sailed,  and  still  must  onward  sail ; 

Where  Tauris  was,  they  did  not  fully  know, 
They  kept  by  faith  along  an  unseen  trail, 

Until  the  chilly  blast  began  to  blow; 

The  sailors  murmured,  would  no  further  go, 
Worn  by  the  seas,  they  ran  into  the  shore, 

Although  they  should  be  eaten  by  the  foe, 
They  lafc^  down  in  the  sand  and  quit  the  oar. 


158          AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXVIII. 

Not  far  away  a  spring  flowed  down  a  hill, 
And  peacefully  did  mingle  with  the  wave; 

It  was  a  soft,  yet  merry  buoyant  rill, 

Which  had  a  speech  as  it  the  stones  would  lave, 
And  e'en  of  music  it  would  sing  a  stave, 

Then  fade  away  into  a  bubbling  noise; 
A  word  in  fond  low  tone  it  often  gave, 

Then  in  the  flow  of  waters  lost  its  voice. 

LXIX. 
It  was  of  loving  Nymphs  the  favored  spot, 

Who  the  worn  stranger  with  a  balm  receive, 
And  soon  refresh  him  in  their  shady  grot, 

Or  in  the  brook  their  bosoms  to  him  heave, 

Or  sing  a  strain  to  which  his  soul  will  cleave; 
To  follow  up  the  hill  they  lure  their  guest, 

And  with  soft  notes  his  footsteps  interweave, 
Strike  snatches  sweet  when  he  sits  down  to  rest. 


CANTO  IIL  159 


LXX. 

Both  youths  went  up  the  brook  to  fields  of  grain, 
A  garden  vast  they  saw  from  the  high  hill, 

The  island  hamlets  flecked  the  sun-gilt  plain, 
In  seas  of  verdure  herds  were  Iffing  still, 
Or  cropped  lush  grass,  or  stood  within  the  rill, 

The  yellow  grain  waved  into  red-barred  skies, 
Which  sent  around  the  world  a  tender  trill, 

As  playing  music  of  that  Paradise. 

LXXI. 
Not  far  away  a  noble  temple  stood, 

Which  seemed  the  shining  center  whence  did  ray 
Ah1  of  those  glories  of  sweet  plenitude; 

They  had  to  follow  but  the  nearest  way 

To  come  to  where  the  sunny  structure  lay; 
They  entered  it,  the  landscape's  very  heart, 

To  the  divinity  therein  to  pray, 
If  it  might  be  appeased  to  take  their  part. 


160  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXII. 

And  there  within  uprose  a  sacred  shrine, 

Near  which  the  priestess  stood  with  kindly  glance; 
She  seemed  to  shed  on  all  a  hope  divine, 

Which  would  the  shyest  shrinking  heart  perchance 

Embolden  to  its  prayer  to  advance. 
But  hark !  she  speaks  true  tones  of  honeyed  Greek, 

Bids  them  be  now  at  home,  and  gently  grants 
Their  dumb  request  to  tell  what  here  they  seek. 

LXXJII. 
They  answer  liquid  notes,  how  sweet  the  sound ! 

She  heard  again  her  dear  Hellenic  speech; 
Her  home,  her  youthful  days,  her  faith  she  found 

When  she  in  words  heart-born  her  thoughts  could 
reach, 

And  could  without  barbaric  discord  teach 
What  with  her  eye,  what  with  her  soul  she  saw, 

And  in  the  purest  mother  tongue  beseech 
The  Gods,  without  a  stammer  or  a  flaw. 


CANTO  IIL  161 

LXXIV. 

But  a  still  deeper  music  struck  a  note^ 

Which  tuned  the  priestess'  soul  unto    one  thought: 
"I  cannot  tell  what  makes  my  fancies  float 

Far  back  to  childish  things  which  once  I  sought. 

What  hidden  spirit  hath  upon  me  wrought, 
That  I  to  this  sad  youth  should  feel  so  near  ? 

Some  destiny  hath  him  unto  me  brought ; 
Him  I  must  ask  about  my  father  dear.'' 

LXXV. 
She  spake  to  him  of  Agamemnon  then, 

Foreboding  by  her  soul's  own  magic  spell 
That  this  young  man  knew  of  the  King  of  men, 

And  could  her  father's  latest  story  tell; 

That  same  deep  feeling  did  the  youth  compel, 
That  he  her  heart  within  his  own  caressed; 

But  now  her  speech  dropped  on  him  like  a  knell, 
Yet  he  replied  thereto  with  soul  suppressed : 


162  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

LXXVI. 

"  The  mighty  leader  felled  the  town  of  Troy, 
Then  safely  home  into  Mycenae  came, 

And  there  his  spouse  conspired  him  to  destroy; 
She  said  that  he  at  Aulis  was  to  blame 
That  her  own  daughter  bled  like  beastly  game; 

The  wife  her  husband  hacked  from  limb  to  limb, 
She  would  blot  out  in  blood  his  very  name : 

As  he  her  daughter  slew,  so  slew  she  him. 

LXXVII. 
"Years  passed  away,  but  vengeance  was  not  stayed; 

The  son  Orestes  up  to  manhood  grew, 
On  him  the  Gods  their  heavy  duty  laid, 

The  slayer  of  his  father  next  he  slew, 

The  murderess  who  was  his  mother  too; 
Justice  it  was  and  the  divine  command, 

She  did  receive  but  what  was  her  own  due, 
So  Clytemnestra  fell  by  her  son's  hand." 


CANTO  III  163 

LXXVIII. 

The  priestess  softened  doomful  words  in  tears: 
"On  curse  of  Hellas,  horror  to  the  sight ! 

A  land  of  sighs  which  deepen  with  the  years, 
Where  vengeance  fiercely  reigns  and  man's  despite, 
The  kindly  human  eye  is  put  out  quite; 

Nor  yet  is  broke  that  fatal  chain  of  wrongs; 
Revenge  begets  revenge — somewhere  in  night 

The  Furies  dog  Orestes  now  in  throngs." 

LXXIX. 
Therewith  the  youth  in  speech  convulsive  shook: 

"See  where  they  come  and  fling  their  snaky  hair 
At  me;  with  burning  demon  eyes  they  look 

Into  my  heart  and  what  lies  hidden  there ; 

They  slime  the  temple's  threshold — now  they  stare — 
Keep  off,  keep  off,  I  see  the  clotted  stain; 

I  did  the  deed  and  would  again  it  dare, 
I  slew  her  in  revenge  for  father  slain." 


164  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXX. 

His  eyes  turned  inward  while  his  body  broke, 
He  coiled  low  down  into  a  speechless  fit; 

Sad  Pylades  in  tender  heart  throbs  spoke: 
"Again  by  his  own  reptile  he  is  bit, 
Not  soon,  I  fear,  the  spell  will  intermit; 

He  is  Orestes,  same  of  whom  he  told, 

He  tries  to  hide,  but  ne'er  hath  hidden  it, 

His  strong  attempt  doth  but  his  guilt  unfold. 

LXXXI. 
"  He  often  lapsed  before  in  such  a  swoon, 

When  I  went  with  him  everywhere  as  friend; 
His  cure  were  now  for  me  the  greatest  boon, 

Still  I  shall  with  him  go  unto  the  end, 

From  beast  and  man  and  from  himself  defend; 
When  the  wild  fit  comes  on,  he  raves  and  shrieks 

At  the  Erinyes,  whose  serpents  send 
The  maddening  hiss  which  vengeance  wreaks. 


CANTO  Iff.  165 

LXXXII. 

"  Much  have  we  roamed  the  world  in  search  of  cure, 
All  Greece  we  have  gone  through,  no  help  we  found; 

We  sought  afar  the  high-hilled  fountains  pure 
Of  healing  Nymphs  who  babble  from  the  ground, 
And  Aesculapius  who  mends  each  wound; 

All,  all  in  vain;  till  now  my  hope  was  fair, 
While  he  came  hither  every  hour  was  sound, 

To  him  returns  disease,  to  me  despair." 

LXXXIII. 
The  priestess  quick  in  thought  to  him  replied: 

"Revenge  he  takes,  revenge  him  then  pursues; 
That  house  of  Tantalus  which  hath  defied 

The  Gods,  is  his;  that  house  would  ever  choose 

Its  own  curse  first,  its  blessing  would  refuse, 
In  its  own  ruin  than  all  foes  more  strong; 

No  heir  of  it  forgives  his  bloody  dues, 
And  stops  the  stream  of  wrong  begetting  wrong. 


166  AGAMEMNON'S   DAUGHTER. 

LXXXIV. 

"  From  father  to  the  son  descends  the  curse, 

The  son  gives  it  anew  unto  his  child, 
And  with  each  gory  deed  it  groweth  worse, 

Till  human  hearts  which  Help  should  render  mild, 

Barbaric  passion  fills  with  rancor  wild; 
The  time  is  come  to  make  the  great  release 

From  vengeance  which  hath  all  our  land  denied; 
Orestes  cure  is  too  the  cure  for  Greece." 

LXXXV. 
Good  Pylades  in  wonder  stared,  then  said: 

"The  Grecian  Gods  for  us  are  powerless; 
When  our  worn  footsteps  had  to  Delphi  led, 

Apollo  his  own  weakness  did  confess; 

The  God  declared  we  must  ourselves  address 
To  one  who  lived  in  barbarous  land,  not  him; 

But  what  he  meant  by  that,  we  could  not  guess; 
We  asked  again,  he  spake  new  riddles  dim: 


CANTO  III  167 

LXXXVI. 

"  'Bring  back  from  Taurian  sliore  thy  sister  dear, 

Whose  image  there  in  starry  sheen  doth  rise 
Along  the  Northern  seas,  where  thou  must  steer; 

It  is  a  sacred  image,  from  the  skies 

It  fell  on  Tauris  with  blest  auguries; 
That  land  was  then  a  dark  and  savage  land, 

She  let  my  sunshine  in,  now  bright  it  lies, 
And  merciful  will  give  a  helping  hand. 

LXXXVII. 
"  'Bring  back  my  sister  thence,  who  did  not  take 

At  Aulis  once  the  dark  avenging  blood; 
Who  ancient  cruel  rites  of  Goddess  brake, 

When  guiltless  maiden  at  her  altar  stood, 

And  sacrifice  became  the  doing  good; 
Then  will  Orestes  be  forever  healed, 

But  he  by  Furies  must  be  still  pursued, 
Until  to  Hellas  whole  she  be  revealed. ' " 


168  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXXVIII. 

The  priestess  saw  at  once  the  God's  intent, 
His  double  word  to  her  was  one,  and  clear; 

She  spake  in  tones  of  mild  admonishment : 
"  Blame  not  the  God  before  thou  rightly  hear, 
Thy  mortal  speech  is  not  the  speech  of  Seer 

Or  God,  which  thou  wilt  never  understand 
Until  thou  see  it  double^  far  and  near, 

See  future  and  the  past  knit  in  one  strand. 

LXXXIX. 
"I  tell  thee  now  what  wise  Apollo  meant, 

When  he  from  inmost  shrine  his  riddles  read: 
I  am  Orestes'  sister,  he  is  sent 

To  bring  me  back  to  those  who  think  me  dead; 

My  blood  was  not  upon  the  altar  shed, 
By  the  God's  sister  I  was  saved  and  brought 

To  Tauris  here,  amid  Barbarians  dread, 
Whom  fair  Humanity  we  both  have  taught. 


CANTO  III  169 

ex. 

"  The  sisters  twain  of  whom  the  God  hath  spoken 
Are  we  —the  mortal  and  immortal  dwell 

Together  in  a  life  of  deeds  unbroken; 
I  am  the  priestess  who  in  word  can  tell 
The  speechless  thought  the  Goddess  doth  indwell; 

Tis  I  who  shall  return,  the  image  bear 
Of  her  who  venges  not,  but  will  dispel 

The  hate  which  Furies  nurse  into  despair." 

xci. 
Not  yet  was  lost  the  lisp  of  her  last  word, 

Orestes  woke,  and  to  his  feet  arose, 
That  final  healing  speech  of  hers  he  heard 

In  trance,  which  was  the  end  of  all  his  woes, 

To  a  sweet  rest  were  soothed  convulsive  throes; 
The  new  man  from  his  healthy  eyes  now  beams, 

As  he  up  to  the  holy  priestess  goes, 
And  to  her  speaks  fulfillment  of  her  dreams: 


170  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XCII. 

"  Thou  art  my  long-dead  sister,  now  I  know, 
What  I  at  first  but  felt  dim  in  my  heart; 

With  me  thy  lot  it  is  to  Greece  to  go, 

And  there  to  thine  own  land  thyself  impart, 
Draw  from  its  raging  breast  the  venomed  dart, 

For  it  is  truly  mad,  as  I  was  mad, 

With  hot  revenge;  it  must  be  what  thou  art, 

Be  cured  like  me  of  having  what  I  had. 

XCIII. 

"  I  saw  the  Furies  flee  to  their  dark  cave, 
I  heard  the  clashing  door  behind  them  close, 

Within  the  earth's  stone  bowels  let  them  rave, 
And  smite  her  granit  bosom  with  their  blows, 
For  I  am  free  forever  of  their  woes; 

Thy  word,  thy  healing  word,  hath  done  it  all, 
Hath  put  to  sudden  night  my  fiercest  foes, 

And  me  from  frenzy  back  to  life  doth  call. 


CANTO  III. 

XCIV. 

"Not  stony  idol  set  in  fane,  I  see, 
Can  be  the  image  of  the  Goddess  true, 

She  hath  another  higher  ministry, 

Thou  art  her  holy  image,  brought  to  view 
In  deeds  of  life,  and  every  day  anew; 

Thou  dost  her  worthy  form  divine  reveal 
In  freshest  bloom  of  living  human  hue, 

And  poor  mankind  in  helpfulness  dost  heaL 

xcv. 
"Apollo's  sister  I  shall  with  me  take, 

And  with  the  Goddess  mine  own  sister  too, 
Both  for  my  sake  and  for  my  people's  sake ; 

As  she  hath  done,  are  they  henceforth  to  do, 

Yea,  she  must  all  men  with  her  deed  endue; 
It  is  her  deed  that  us  of  evil  rids, 

The  Fates  shall  fly  from  her  as  Furies  flew, 
She  brings  to  end  the  curse  of  Tantalids." 


172  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XOVI. 

While  thus  they  talk,  another  raving  man 
With  violence  into  their  presence  breaks; 

A  fit  of  madness  shrieks  from  visage  wan, 
Fierce  grimaces  and  gestures  wild  he  makes, 
Each  limb,  each  muscle  in  his  body  shakes; 

Thoas  it  is,  already  mad  with  love; 

But  when  he  sees  the  Greeks,  anew  he  quakes 

For  jealousy,  and  frights  the  holy  grove: 

xcvu. 
"  Woman,  Fury,  thou  art  my  greatest  curse ! 

Thou  owest  me  thy  life  and  influence, 
Thy  purpose  newly  planted  I  did  nurse, 

I  saved  thee  from  the  hand  of  insolence, 

I  calmed  to  hope  thy  fleeing,  frightended  sense, 
I  gave  thee  love,  I  gave  this  kingly  heart; 

Now  I  am  scorned  by  thes,  reap  but  offence, 
And  my  kind  breast  is  pierced  by  thy  fell  dart. 


CANTO  III.  173 

xcvin. 
"Traitress,  ingrate,  incapable  of  love, 

False  to  thy  doctrine,  in  thyself  untrue, 
My  good  thou  dost  requite  with  wrong  above 

What  demons  dare;  I  know  what  I  shall  do, 

For  I  see  other  knavish  Greeks  here  too — 
Thy  lovers,  come  to  carry  thee  away; 

On  ancient  Taurian  altar,  all  of  you, 
I  shall  as  pious  debt  long  due,  now  slay," 

1C. 

The  priestess  caught  his  eye  and  touched  his  arm, 
Which,  soon  unnerved,  writhed  slowly  to  his  side, 

As  if  .ield  itself  from  doing  harm; 

His  savage  lips  did  quiver,  but  not  chide, 
Her  gentleness  o'erwhelmed  him  in  its  tide : 

"Oh  Thoas,  friend— what  hast  thou  done  almost? 
A  storm  thy  years  of  good  doth  override, 

And  oh,  methought  I  saw  thee  in  it  lost. 


174  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

c. 
"Thy  dark  reproach  I  merit  not,  oh  King; 

Far  more  than  all  thee  have  I  loved  and  thine, 
For  thee  I  have  been  here  an  offering, 

My  days  I  have  all  given  at  thy  shrine, 

My  youthful  days  which  will  no  more  be  mine ; 
If  not  my  body,  to  thee  my  soul  I  give, 

That  is  my  dearest  boon,  my  part  divine, 
By  which  I  hope  thou  mayst  forever  live. 

ci. 
"To  mine  own  hapless  land  I  am  now  called, 

To  Hellas  which  me  once  did  immolate, 
Whereby  to-day  it  is  to  guilt  enthralled; 

Barbarian  thou  hast  rescued  me  from  fate, 

And  thou  must  rescue  too  the  Grecian  State, 
If  I  to  thee  have  taught  my  highest  worth; 

Thou  wilt  anew  the  priestess  dedicate, 
Restoring  her  to  country  of  her  birth. 


CANTO  III.  176 

en. 
"If  thou  dost  truly  love  and  honor  me, 

Thou  wilt  surrender  me  to  blessedness; 
If  what  I  am,  in  truth  possesses  thee, 

Thou  wilt  pass  by  thy  right,  thy  sharp  distress, 

And  thine  own  sacrifice  alone  wilt  press; 
By  keeping  me,  thou  hast  me  not  indeed, 

By  sending  me,  thou  hast  me  none  the  less, 
This  is  to  thee  my  last,  my  highest  meed. 

cm. 
"  If  I  may  not  my  native  land  restore, 

The  spirit  cries,  I  shall  myself  not  save; 
If  thou  detain  me  on  the  Taurian  shore, 

Thy  liberator  me  thou  wilt  enslave, 

And  thou  no  liberty  thyself  wilt  have; 
It  is  my  time  to  go,  my  time  just  now, 

As  long  as  the  Greek  brother  is  a  slave, 
I  am  not  free  myself — not  free  art  thou. 


176  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

civ. 

"No  family  is  mine,  another  law 

Hath  claimed  me  with  its  strong  behest; 

No  babe  with  rosy  lips  will  ever  draw 
Its  life  out  of  the  fountain  of  my  breast, 
Or  lisp  to  me  of  names  the  tenderest; 

Of  Nature's  loss  I  have  to  bear  the  pain, 
And  rise  upon  it  into  duty  blest; 

Another  motherhood  is  there  my  gain." 

cv. 
Barbarian  Thoas  drops  the  ruthful  tear, 

He  has  received  her  final  blessing  too, 
In  giving  up  what  is  to  him  most  dear; 

Yet  he  will  keep  of  her  what  is  the  true, 

His  hasty  deed  in  penitence  undo, 
Whereby  in  him  the  last  dark  savage  strand 

Is  struck  from  Nature,  and  his  spirit  new 
Begs  now  to  bear  her  to  her  own  dear  land. 


CANTO    HI.  177 

cvi. 
And  many  barbarous  peoples  thither  flock 

From  lands  whereof  no  Greek  hath  yet  a  notion, 
From  East  and  West,  from  North  new  Teuton  stock; 

Round  her  they  roll  and  rage  in  grand  commotion, 

Yet  in  her  find  their  soul's  most  sweet  devotion; 
They  come,  they  come  from  farthest  bleakest  Thule, 

Where  her  fair  temples  bind  the  edge  of  Ocean, 
E'en  from  Atlantis  where  no  King  hath  rule. 

cvn. 
Europa's  children  seize  the  fleeting  chance, 

To  bring  her  home  and  to  perfect  their  deed; 
For  they  will  hers  and  their  own  worth  enhance, 

When  they  have  to  the  full  re-paid  her  meed, 

And  in  their  fealty  are  ripe  to  bleed; 
When  placed  again  upon  her  ancient  seat, 

She  too  hath  won  herself,  is  truly  freed, 
And  they,  completing  her,  themselves  complete. 


178  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

CVIII. 

More  ships  at  Tauris  now  are  brought  together 

Than  in  the  olden  time  to  Aulis  caine, 
They  had  no  stress  of  winds,  had  no  foul  weather; 

A  greater  act,  to  be  of  greater  fame, 

Than  hath  been  yet  bound  up  with  Helen's  name  ; 
And  the  new  Gods  send  gales,  not  to  take  Troy, 

Not  to  avenge  in  hate  a  woman's  shame, 
Their  will  is  to  redeem,  not  to  letroy. 


So  act  these  men  in  noble  gratitude 

To  her  who  gave  to  them  what  was  their  best, 
Who  changed  the  jungled  earth,  the  savage  rude, 

Into  a  land  and  people  that  were  blest, 

Obeying  human  law  and  God's  behest; 
But  now  the  last  and  greatest  deed  is  done, 

Eeturn  to  Hellas  is  the  final  test 
Whereby  Greek  and  Barbarian  are  one. 


CANTO  ///.  179 

ex. 
Orestes,  the  mad  Greek,  his  cure  has  found, 

The  vengeful  Furies  him  no  more  pursue; 
Thoas,  the  wild  Barbarian,  is  now  sound, 

His  jealous  wrath  is  chastened  into  rue; 

Both  men  are  healed,  begin  their  life  anew, 
Their  hateful  limit  they  will  both  erase, 

Both  feel  their  oneness,  have  one  thing  to  do, 
Both  sink  down  at  her  feet,  and  there  embrace. 


CANTO    IV. 
IPHIGENIA   AT   DELPHI, 


A   round,  around  we  circle  hand  in  hand, 
•*~i-     We  rule  this  Lower  World,  the  Gods  we  rule, 
We  tie  up  Time  itself  within  our  band, 
The  human  Will  is  but  our  tiny  tool, 

IL& 

The  man  who  fights  against _is  the  fool, 
In  our  vast  rim  of  fierce  barbaric  powers 

This  little'  Greece  we  bind  and  press  and  pull; 
The  man,  the  land,  the  God,  e'en  Zeus  are  ours." 


CANTO  IV.  181 

n. 
So  sang  the  Fates,  while  they  kept  wheeling  round 

In  ever-closing  curves  the  Delphic  fane, 
In  wrath  they  beat  the  air,  they  smote  the  ground, 

Then  tightly  shut  their  triple  grip  again 

To  rhythm  of  a  wild  tyrannic  strain; 
Blent  in  their  song  were  heard  the  Furies  too, 

Who  screamed  afar  in  vengeful  sharp  refrain 
What  they  had  done,  and  what  they  still  would  do. 

in. 
"We  leave  rude  Tauris  and  to  Delphi  go, 

With  triple  Fates,  we  triple  share  control, 
And  with  them  we  one  life  in  twain  bestow, 

The  outer  world  of  man  is  theirs,  the  whole, 

His  inner  world  is  ours,  we  rule  the  soul 
Within  the  state  of  Greece,  within  the  Greek; 

From  them,  the  Fates,  the  guilty  deed  shall  roll, 
From  us,  the  Furies,  comes  revenge  to  wreak.   // 


182  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

IV. 

The  strain  arose  from  Delphic  lands  high-hilled, 
And  flowed  adown  the  slopes  unto  the  dale, 

The  vineyards  and  the  olive-groves  it  filled 
Where  men  and  women  echoed  all  the  tale 
In  far-heard  notes  that  swung  from  height  to  vale, 

They  sang  it  at  their  work  and  at  their  feast, 
They  hymned  it  to  the  beat  of  threshing  flail, 

And  felt  its  awe  from  highest  to  the  least. 

v. 
From  the  Parnassian  tops,  where  Muses  played, 

Was  floating  over  land  and  sea  the  lay 
Of  Fates  and  Furies  to  a  world  dismayed; 

It  bubbled  out  of  bright  Castralia, 

And  dimmed  her  lucent  rill  on  all  its  way; 
The  Oracle  could  speak  no  other  word 

Unto  the  multitude  who  came  to  pray, 
And  all  their  hearts  were  with  it  deeply  stirred. 


CANTO  IV.  183 

VI. 

Oh  rocky  Pytho,  the  one  soul  thou  art 

Of  this  wide  Grecian  land  and  of  the  time; 

Thou  sendest  thine  own  breath  to  every  part, 
To  touch  the  hidden  chords  of  this  fair  clime, 
Whose  thrill  sets  all  the  earth  to  thy  deep  chime; 

From  out  thy  mountain  breast  deep-cleft  in  twain, 
Speaks  prophecy  with  freshest  voice  of  prime, 

And  furthest  Hellas  hears  the  sacred  strain, 

vn. 
Yet  many  years  had  Delphi  lain  untrod 

By  heroes  who  were  in  the  Trojan  war; 
But  now  to  land  and  family  and  God 

They  had  returned  in  spite  of  adverse  star, 

And  leaped  the  human  and  celestial  bar; 
Again  they  gathered  at  the  Delphic  call, 

Which  they  had  heard  resounding  near  and  far, 
To  come  and  hold  a  mighty  festival. 


184  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER, 

VIII. 

Those  Grecian  men  were  fain  their  grand  return 

In  that  most  sacred  town  to  celebrate; 
They  had  no  more  in  foreign  land  to  yearn 

For  wife  and  home,  or  haply  to  await 

On  bloody  bridge  of  war  the  blow  of  fate ; 
A  day  of  joy,  yet  not  without  a  tear, 

For  each  had  lost  what  Time  could  never  mate; 
Again  heroic  shapes  from  Troy  drew  near. 

IX. 

The  first  was  Nestor,  aged  man  and  wise, 

"Whose  snowy  beard  would  brush  the  Delphic  shrine, 

As  he  unto  the  God  gave  sacrifice; 

In  burning  Troy  he  saw  the  strifeful  sign, 
And  homeward  fled  at  once  across  the  brine ; 

That  city's  fall  was  for  his  glance  the  end, 
He  would  not  further  probe  the  ways  divine, 

The  will  of  Gods  he  sought  not  to  transcend. 


CANTO  IV.  185 


Next  Spartan  Menelaus  thither  came, 

Who  wandered  long,  yet  reached  at  last  his  home, 
With  Helen  still  his  wife,  but  all  men's  fame ; 

Far,  far  into  the  East  he  had  to  roam, 

And  cut  a  path  unknown  through  tlirjaHgbTsalty  foam; 
When  he  the  wiles  of  Proteus  had  outdone, 

And  through  old  Egypt's  mystic  stream  had  sworn, 
He  caught  beneath  all  changeing  forms  the  One. 

XI. 

Ulysses,  too,  at  Delphi  now  appears, 

Though  his  return  was  farthest  of  them  all, 

He  fought  and  wandered  homeward  twenty  years, 
He  saw  strange  lands  and  beings  magical, 
With  giants  strove,  who  sought  him  to  enthrall, 

He  passed  the  Underworld  of  ghostly  forms, 
Where  all  the  shades  gave  answer  to  his  call, 

Then  back  to  home  on  earth  outrode  the  storms. 


186  AGAMEMNON' '$  DAUGHTER. 

XII. 

He  was  the  man  who  pried  below,  above; 

The  dear  Unknown  he  made  his  daily  guest, 
With  the  Impossible  he  was  in  love, 

Beyond  the  ken  of  men  he  took  his  test; 

With  bold  emprise  he  plunged  into  the  West, 
Whose  far  domains  he  first  of  mortals  trods, 

Yet  on  the  bound  of  worlds  he  cannot  rest, 
He  seeks  to  burst  the  limits  of  the  Gods, 

xin. 
Oh  Chian  voice,  could  I  to  mine  but  tell 

As  thou  to  thine  his  wondrous  tale  hast  told, 
Again  would  flow  the  deep  Pierian  well 

In  which  are  seen  the  ages  to  unfold; 

All  Time  would  move  as  I  my  leaves  unrolled, 
And  out  my  lines  would  step  the  man  to-day, 

Who  to  my  music  would  the  world  uphold: 
But  stop — mine  is  another  tale — away. 


CANTO  IV:  187 

XIV. 

With  him  his  wife  had  come,  Penelope, 

Hers  was  the  steadfast  heart,  most  loyal,  true: 
Yet  prudence  joined  she  to  fidelity, 

She  kept  her  husband's  home  and  country  too, 

Whereby  he  ever  could  return  anew; 
Well  she  deserved  with  him  the  equal  part 

Of  honor  now  to  the  most  honored  due — - 
The  wisest  head  had  paired  the  truest  heart 

xv. 
So  gathered  round  the  fane  the  heroes  great, 

Now  old  and  full  of  silent  suffering, 
To  hear  the  past,  their  deeds  to  celebrate, 

Some  little  joy  into  their  lives  to  bring, 

And  dull  awhile  the  point  of  sorrow's  sting; 
Their  days  were  full  of  deep-remembered  pain 

Though  they  had  taken  Troy  and  slain  its  king, 
And  had  returned  to  land  and  home  again. 


188  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

XVI. 

And  e'en  the  Delphic  God  was  one  of  those 
Who  out  the  East  to  Hellas  had  returned; 

Apollo  smote  in  Troy  the  Greeks  as  foes, 

The  God  had  not  the  trend  of  Time  discerned, 
Yet  through  his  error  he  his  wisdom  learned, 

He,  though  a  God,  transformed  his  vast  mistake, 
Whereby  he  had  a  new  devotion  earned, 

Him,  wisest  God,  the  Greeks  no£\wjll  forsake. 

XVII. 

/ 
Fair  maidens  soon  attuned  the  merry  song, 

And  interwove  sweet  sounds  into  the  dance, 
While  in  their  steps  the  Graces  tripped  along, 

At  whose  dear  shapes  the  eye  falls  in  a  trance, 

And  to  a  music  seen  is  blent  each  glance ; 
A  stream  of  mounted  youths  then  overfills 

The  wavy  slopes  that  keep  the  war-steeds  prance, 
Far  the  procession  tosses  mid  the  hills. 


CANTO 


\ 


XVIII. 

Soft  flutes  and  frantic  timbrels  mingle  joy, 
And  fling  on  breathing  air  life's  anodyne; 

Where  now  have  vanished  all  the  ills  of  Troy  ? 
Ah,  wo  the  word !  what  darker,  deeper  line 
That  in  the  joyful  strain  doth  intertwine ! 

Of  Fates  and  Furies  still  breaks  out  the  hymn, 
To  jar  the  song  around  the  fane  divine, 

While  o'er  the  Graces  hover  goblins  grim. 

xrx. 
"Forget  us  not,  we  too  are  in  the  song, 

Within  each  Grecian  voice  and  soul  we  dwell; 
We  circle  round  about  each  Grecian  throng, 

On  all  the  heavy  world  we  cast  our  spell, 

And  Time  the  echo  is  of  what  we  tell. 
Hist,  Hist !   A  foe  we  scent  on  Delphic  air, 

Low-sounding  up  the  vale  we  hear  a  knell, 
A  stranger  draweth  near,  beware,  beware." 


190  AGAMEMNON'S  DAVGHTER, 

xx, 

The  joyous  festival  had  well  begun, 

When  lo!     a  dame  moves  round  the  hiding  hill. 
And  enters  Delphi  in  the  morning  sun; 

She  walks  up  to  the  clear  Castalian  rill, 

And  drinks  of  it  and  hears  its  sweetest  trill ; 
She  turns  to  pass  into  the  town  above, 

But  first  in  a  deep  glance  she  standeth  still, 
Then  slowly  moves  into  the  sacred  grove. 

XXI, 

Who  is  the  lady  of  the  look  unknown? 

Iphigenia— she  without  delay 
From  port  of  Aulis  had  set  out  alone, 

Where  she  had  landed  only  yesterday, 

And  where  again  a  thousand  vessels  lay, 
Tall  ships  barbarian,  which  there  did  bring 

Her  with  Orestes  o'er  the  watery  way; 
The  leader  Thoas  was,  the  Taurian  King. 


CANTO   IV.  191 

XXII. 

Her  name  none  knew,  or  how  she  came,  or  when; 

Nor  made  she  haste  her  lineage  to  say, 
She  flitted  through  the  surging  crowds  of  men, 

From  every  side  she  heard  the  bodeful  lay 

Of  Fates  and  Furies  pierce  the  holiday; 
In  every  deed  entwined  their  lurid  song, 

Which  shot  dark  threads  through  colors  bright  and  gay, 
Yet  had  their  counterpart  in  all  the  throng. 

XXIII. 

Her  sorrow  throbbed  when  she  that  song  had  heard 

Tinge  with  its  discord  all  the  Delphic  dale, 
Nor  could  she  to  herself  suppress  the  word: 

"I  see  at  home  these  monsters  still  prevail 

Which  once  I  saw  far  Barbary  assail; 
But  there  they  are  put  down  and  sway  no  more; 

My  Hellas  hath  beneath  its  joy  a  wail, 
It  is  not  what  it  seemed  to  me  before. 


192  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXIV. 

"  I  hear  but  of  the  vengeful  sack  of  Troy, 
The  many  men  and  women  slaved  or  slain ; 

The  spirit  everywhere  is  to  destroy, 

Such  deeds,  I  know  leave  tinct  in  man  their  grain, 
What  he  hath  done,  comes  back  to  him  again, 

The  city  burnt  a  wraith  of  vengeance  hath 
Which  in  the  victor's  heart  will  cleave  amain, 

And  him  will  smite  in  turn  with  his  own  wrath. 

xxv. 
"I  see  that  in  my  land  I  have  again  to  do 

What  I  at  Tauris  with  the  years  have  done, 
To  give  my  spirit's  offering  anew, 

Change  vengeful  father  to  the  gentle  son; 

Another  Troy  must  on  this  soil  be  won, 
Not  by  fierce  arms  or  furious  conflagration, 

All  Troy,  the  East   and  West,  must  be  made  one 
In  helpful  deed  with  the  Hellenic  nation." 


CANTO   IV.  193 

XXVI. 

So  moved  the,  woman  lone  among  the  Greeks, 
By  men  unrecognized  in  her  own  land; 

To  learn  the  story  of  the  time  she  seeks, 
From  all  she  hears  of  Agamemnon's  band, 
The  mighty  deed  done  on  the  Trojan  strand, 

The  valor  bursting  red  in  streams  of  blood; 
She  feels  the  war-beat  to  a  fever  fanned, 

As  round  each  singer  men  admiring  stood. 

XXVII. 

But  soon  she  caught  the  fragment  of  a  strain 

That  waved  the  air  more  mellow  than  the  rest, 
And  as  she  neared  the  spot,  it  swelled  again, 

And  sounded,  as  it  sweetly  rose,  more  blest; 

She  stood  and  looked  from  a  small  hilly  crest 
Above  the  shoulders  of  the  listening  crowd; 

She  saw  an  ancient  bard,  from  whose  deep  beast 
The  tender  notes  were  welling  clear  and  loud. 


194  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXVIII. 

It  was  the  bard  who  in  Mycenae  sang 

Long  since  when  she  was  but  a  little  maid; 

His  deep  bass-voice  had  now  a  melting  pang, 

Kound  his  great  thoughts  the  nimble  fancies  played, 
As  his  white  beard  on  toying  breezes  strayed; 

His  winged  words  agleam  would  flit  the  air, 

Like  long  thin  cloudlets  through  the  welkin  frayed, 

Was  fwirled  in  passing  wind  his  blanched  hair. 

XXIX. 

Thus  looked  and  sang  that  bard  Meonides, 

Who  hymned  so  well  the  famous  Trojan  wo, 
Who  knew  fatality  in  all  degrees, 

As  it  was  stamped  on  men  long,  long  ago ; 

Like  him,  this  singer  too  had  felt  the  blow 
Of  deep-dispensing  Gods,  for  he  was  blind; 

Yet  deeper,  purer  was  the  inner  flow, 
As  he  the  world  more  clearly  saw  in  mind. 


CANTO   IV.  193 

XXX, 

She  slid  into  tlie  crowd  and  heard  the  song; 

It  sang  the  wrath  which  stirred  Achilles  dread, 
When  he  rose  up  against  a  Grecian  wrong, 

Done  by  the  King  who  was  the  Army's  head, 

That  wrongful  King,  it  was  her  father  dead; 
The  Ruler  and  the  Hero  caused  the  strife, 

Whereby  not  they,  but  their  true  people  bled, 
And  many  a  gallant  chieftain  lost  his  life. 

XXXI. 

Ah,  fateful,  furious  was  that  song  of  wrath, 

The  words  of  blood  poured  out  the  deeds  of  blood ! 
But  a  far  deeper  note  the  singer  hath, 

Which  sang  Achilles  imaging  the  good, 

Forgiving  to  his  foes  in  tender  mood  ; 
The  Hero  true  she  saw  in  him  arise, 

Not  by  the  cruel  deed,  but  brotherhood ; 
It  was  the  image  of  her  sacrifice. 


196  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XXXII. 

Great  was  her  joy,  when  in  her  low  disguise 
She  heard  her  act  wind  through  the  Hero's  lot, 

How  he  to  vision  of  her  life  did  rise, 
Though  oftentimes  she  was  by  him  forgot, 
And  he  in  mad  revenge  would  slay  and  plot; 

Still  he  would  soon  bethink  himself  again, 
The  Leader  he  forgave,  and  then  would  not 

Slay  Priam  old  for  dear  Patroclus  slain. 

XXXIII. 

The  singer  struck  a  newer,  sadder  strain, 

The  piteous  tale  of  Agamemnon's  fate, 
How  he  at  home  by  his  own  wife  was  slain, 

How  she  her  hearth  with  lust  did  desecrate; 

That  story  on  the  daughter's  heart  strings  ate, 
Of  her  own  mother  and  her  father  sung 

To  all  assembled  Greeks,  both  small  and  great; 
Her  lips  turned  pale  and  down  her  head  she  hung: 


CANTO    IV. 

XXXIV. 

*'  Ye  Gods !   the  mighty  Leader  of  the  Greeks 
Is  butchered  like  an  ox  within  its  stall ! 

Return  to  home  he  hath  not,  which  he  seeks; 
Instead  of  it  he  finds  his  funeral, 
Just  as  he  steps  into  his  palace  hall; 

Return  is  not  for  him  from  Trojan  strife, 
Revenge,  not  Love,  sits  on  Mycenae's  wall, 

With  broken  vows  that  lap  the  blood  of  life. 

xxxv. 
"  Oh  mother,  mother,  what  a  great  mistake 

For  thee  and  me  thy  vengeful  lesson  was; 
Thou  boldly  slewest  husband  for  my  sake, 

And  yet  I  was  not  dead,  thou  hadst  no  cause 

To  overturn  the  deity's  last  laws; 
Thus  err  we,  when  we  take  into  our  hands 

The  justice,  which  the  Gods  without  our  flaws, 
In  foresight  far,  dispense  to  men  and  lands." 


198          AGAMEMNON' 8  DAUGHTER. 

XXXVI, 

More  deeply  still  sobbed  Agamemnon's  daughter; 

"  Then  such  am  I,  and  of  such  parents  born, 
Of  parents'  parents  slain  in  kindred  slaughter  1 

Methinks  till  now  I  never  felt  forlorn; 

Oh  might  I  never  see  to-morrow  morn ! 
Can  I  now  change  ancestral  bloody  strands, 

Release  from  Furies'  fang  the  bosom  torn, 
Oh  can  I  whiten  still  these  gory  hands!'5 

XXXVII. 

The  bard  began  a  milder  lay  to  sing, 

Which  soothed  with  tender  notes  her  hapless  pain, 
It  was  the  lay  of  her  own  offering 

At  Aulis  by  the  sea,  where  she  was  slain, 

Yet  saved,  that  she  might  do  her  deed  again; 
Lost  Helen's  restoration  there  she  earned, 

And  freedom  gave  to  clear  the  guilty  stain; 
Through  her  deed,  too,  the  Greek  has  now  returned. 


CANTO  PV.         //  199 


XXXVIII. 

The  song's  deep  solace  bore  her  in  its  flood, 

She  felt  that  she  had  stemmed  her  house's  guilt, 

And  stanched  the  ever-flowing  stream  of  blood, 
Which,  in  the  time  of  old  Thyestes  spilt, 
Had  stained  each  kindred  sword  from  point  to  hilt; 

But  yet  more  deeply  ran  the  tuneful  word: 
A  new  Greek  world,  by  her  to  be  re-built, 

Had  to  prophetic  strain  the  bard  now  stirred: 

xxxix. 
"  I  yet  shall  touch  her  with  this  aged  hand, 

For  I  have  heard  in  truth  she  is  not  dead, 
But  is  still  living  in  a  far-off  land, 

And  she  on  Dian's  altar  never  bled, 

But  by  the  Goddess  she  away  was  led, 
Until  the  strifeful  Trojan  time  be  past, 

And  Helen  be  to  home  returned  who  fled ; 
Then  will  she  too  return  to  Greee'e,  the  last. 


200  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XL. 

"  This  last  return  will  be  the  greatest,  best; 

To  end  of  Time  she  will  in  Hellas  stay, 
I  have  deep  faith  it  is  the  God's  behest, 

That  she  no  longer  shall  remain  away, 

Who  gave  herself  for  all  upon  that  day; 
And  some  great  blessing  she  will  with  her  bring, 

When  to  Apollo's  fane  she  comes  to  pray, 
And  bears  anew  to  us  her  offering." 

XLI. 
"  She  cannot  long  be  absent  from  us  still, 

I  feel  the  very  point  of  time  draw  near, 
When  she  in  coming  home,  will  all  fulfil, 

And  in  this  Delphic  seat  she  will  appear, 

Led  by  the  love  of  her  own  people  dear; 
All  have  returned  but  her,  e'en  the  lost  wife, 

Methinks  that  she  already  must  be  here, 
This  day,  this  spot  is  telling  of  her  life." 


CANTO  IV.  201 

XLII. 

She  listened  to  her  piteous  fate,  but  kept 

Within  distressful  heart  the  bursting  sigh; 
Yet  inwardly  at  her  own  tale  she  wept, 

A  lonely  tear  would  wander  to  her  eye, 

The  silent  herald  of  her  sympathy. 
She  seemed  to  think  it  was  another's  lot, 

When  she  beheld  the  maid  at  Aulis  die, 
That  she  the  sufferer  was  she  quite  forgot. 

XLIII. 
Oh  woman,  woman !  oh  thou  image  truest 

Which  sorrow  moulds  through  its  long  painful  stress; 
Only  to  be  compassionate  thou  knewest, 

Thou  didst  not  know  it  was  thine  own  distress 

That  touched  thy  soul  of  self-f orgetf ulness ; 
On  thee  comes  back  thy  pity's  overflow, 

Which  always  through  another  must  thee  bless, 
E'en  that  thou  art  not  dead,  thou  scarce  dost  know. 


202  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XLIV. 

Yet  one  dark  mystery  she  could  not  break, 
She  saw  that  she  a  guilt  untold  had  brought 

On  one  who  was  mistaken  for  her  sake; 

Her  death  to  quit  the  darkest  crime  was  wrought, 
That  crime  was  done  but  for  a  phantom  thought; 

For  her  she  saw  a  father  slain,  a  mother  stained, 
Fate  seemed  at  last  to  have  her  life-thread  caught, 

In  voiceless  wo  unto  herself  she  plained: 

XLV. 
"Of  being's  source  to  be  the  enemy, 

The  vengeful  child  to  be,  though  innocent, 
Who  whelms  both  parents  to  fatality, 

It  wraps  the  Gods  in  deep  bewilderment. 

Oh  why  have  I  been  darkly  hither  sent? 
It  is  the  Fates  who  turn  on  me  their  power; 

To  their  decree  I  shall  at  last  be  bent, 
They  come,  and  I  must  yield — it  is  their  hour.*' 


CANTO  IV.  203 

ILVL 

"  I  too  must  be  a  link  of  that  long  chain 

Which  hangs  from  Tantalus,  and  ever  will; 
To  slay  mine  own  and  by  them  to  be  slain, 

Is  the  last  law  which  I  must  too  fulfil. 

—No,  no;  'tis  madness;  I  shall  conquer  still, 
Transform  ray  birth  into  a  source  of  good, 

I  destiny  shall  weave  into  my  will, 
And  guilt  of  Tantalids  cleanse  from  my  blood." 

XLVII. 

Meanwhile  the  crowd  rushed  to  the  wall  to  gaze 
Far  down  the  slope,  beyond  the  Delphic  dale, 

Till  where  the  soft  Corinthian  bosom  sways 
On  gentle  throbbing  waves  the  nodding  sail, 
Or  heaves  on  high  the  reeling  bark  more  frail; 

The  silvery  sparkle  snaps  into  the  view, 
Or  flashes  out  a  momentary  trail, 

Then  vanishes  into  the  billows  blue. 


204  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XLVIII. 

Above  those  azure  pulses  of  the  deep, 

Uprearing  from  the  valley  rose  a  train, 
It  slowly  curled  about  the  mountain  steep 

Through  pointed  rocks  athwart  its  pathway  lain; 

At  times  it  seemed  to  grapple  might  and  main, 
As  if  in  mortal  wrestle  with  the  way, 

Which  showed  a  fierce  resistance,  but  in  vain; 
The  line  kept  creeping  up,  and  made  no  stay. 

IL. 
When  it  at  last  had  reached  the  Delphic  gate, 

It  seemed  to  turn  upon  itself  and  think, 
As  if  it  for  a  time  did  hesitate, 

Standing  alone  with  doubt  on  some  deep  brink, 

Which  for  a  moment  made  the  courage  sink; 
It  would  not  enter  in  the  sacred  wall, 

Smit  by  some  sudden  scruple  it  did  shrink, 
Or  fear  again  a  hidden  guilt  or  fall. 


CANTO  IV.  205 

L. 

But  yielding  soon  it  came  into  the  town, 
For  many  voices  shouted  strong  request, 

It  marched  in  still  procession  up  and  down, 
All  nocked  to  see  who  was  the  novel  guest, 
They  marked  one  shape  far  more  than  all  the  rest, 

The  dame  with  penitential,  broken  eye, 

Which  told  the  sorrowing  tale  of  years  unblest; 

She  never  would  look  up  as  she  passed  by. 

LI. 
It  Helen  was,  who  had  from  Troy  returned, 

Once  more  in  her  old  Spartan  home  she  dwelt, 
The  deepest  lesson  of  the  world  had  learned, 

The  sharpest  pang  of  human  life  had  felt, 

The  fiercest  blow  to  her  own  land  had  dealt, 
And  to  her  spouse,  though  he  had  all  forgiven; 

To  him  she  hurried  and  beside  him  knelt, 
And  looked  up  in  his  face  with  rue  heart-riven. 


206  AGAMEMNON'S   DAUGHTER. 

LH. 

The  heroes,  too,  could  not  restrain  the  tear 
At  such  great  beauty  to  such  sorrow  bound; 

They  wept  for  her,  their  image  still  most  dear, 
And  for  themselves,  who  such  distress  had  found, 
And  left  so  many  friends  cold  in  Troy's  ground ; 

Fell  Memory  shot  deep  into  the  heart 

The  look  of  brothers  slain,  or  starved,  or  drowned, 

And  in  themselves  they  felt  the  deathly  dart. 

Lin. 

The  mighty  multitude  of  people  wept, 

It  would  have  broken  up  the  festival, 
If  fairest  Helen  had  not  forward  stepped, 

And  gave  her  drug  which  men  Nepenthe  call; 

At  once  it  soothed  the  sorrows  of  them  all, 
At  her  sweet  word  they  soon  forgot  their  pain, 

In  her  they  saw  the  rise  out  of  the  fall, 
Great  was  the  loss,  but  greater  still  the  gain. 


CANTO  IV.  207 

LIV. 

The  tender  lines  of  hidden  suffering 

Wove  all  their  saddest  story  through  her  face, 

.    -• 
But  o'er  them  other  lines  would  greatly  cling, 

Which  would  the  sharp,  remorseful  thought  erase, 
And  softly  write  forgiveness  there  and  grace; 

So  could  she  quench  the  very  grief  she  made, 

Though  trouble  gone  would  leave  for  proof  its  trace ; 

The  guilt  had  fled,  but  still  had  left  its  shade. 

LV. 

Out  of  her  life  there  shone  calm  penitence, 
With  steadfast  will  her  deed  yet  to  atone; 

Though  never  more  she  could  have  innocence, 

She  still  had  something  gained  for  what  was  gone, 
That  to  remorse  she  was  not  left  alone; 

She  had  for  error  won  the  compensation, 

She  knew  the  thorny  way,  the  heart-torn  moan, 

And  through  the  lapse  she  knew  the  restoration. 


208  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LVI. 

In  Troy  already  she  had  often  tried 

Her  heavy  lot  of  servitude  to  flee, 
In  agony  of  self-reproach  she  cried 

That  Aphrodite's  thrall  she  would  not  be, 

Yet  could  herself  not  of  the  Goddess  free. 
She  fought  within,  the  Grecians  fought  without, 

To  save  her  and  themselves  to  liberty; 
Both  of  their  struggles  were  a  ten  years'  doubt. 

LVII. 
Once  Aphrodite  to  her  chamber  came, 

When  Paris  had  been  slain,  her  Trojan  spouse, 
And  she  had  willed  henceforth  to  cleanse  her  blame; 

The  Goddess  sought  desire  again  to  rouse, 

That  it  might  snap  afresh  her  holy  vows, 
And  promised  youth's  sweet  victory  anew, 

With  every  potent  charm  Love's  zone  endows, 
Would  give  a  young  heroic  husband  too. 


CANTO   IV. 

LVIII. 

The  Goddess  tried  her  far  away  to  lure, 
To  distant  East,  to  curse  of  Babylon, 

Where  she  would  have  no  struggle  to  endure ; 
Where  she  could  lie  forever  in  the  sun 
Which  showed  no  guilt,  no  deed  to  be  undone; 

But  she  resisted  all  that  blandishment, 
She  did  the  temple  of  the  Goddess  shun, 

And  to  her  soul's  own  trysting-place  she  went. 

LIX. 
Yet  Memnon  found  her  once,  the  son  of  Morn, 

And  prayed  that  he  might  bear  her  to  the  day, 
Far  in  the  Orient  where  he  was  born, 

And  with  him  there  to  shine  the  early  ray 

Which  lightly  wakes  the  world  in  jocund  play; 
But  she  refused,  she  would  return  to  Greece, 

Back  to  her  home  would  walk  the  prickly  way, 
And  there  work  out  in  sorrow  her  release. 


210  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LX. 

Then  Memnon  left,  he  was  the  last  of  all, 
Most  brave,  most  beautiful  of  Troy's  array; 

At  once  he  dashed  out  of  the  Trojan  wall, 
And  fighting  fell  upon  that  very  day, 
Foreknowing  well  what  in  the  battle  lay; 

As  he  breathed  out  his  breath,  that  hour  Troy  fell, 
Its  soul  was  dead,  and  in  him  passed  away, 

The  Gods  departed  from  its  citadel. 

LXI. 
The  Greeks  rushed  in  the  gate,  the  city  burned, 

The  people  and  the  aged  king  they  slew; 
Whom  once  Achilles'  wrath  had  spared,  they  spurned, 

The  captives'  prayer  they  would  not  listen  to, 

The  cry  of  babes  no  tear  of  pity  drew, 
Vengeance  they  showed  with  all  its  rage  unblest, 

Nor  thought  that  they  shall  suffer  what  they  do, 
By  waking  Furies  fierce  in  their  own  breast. 


CANTO  IV.  211 

LXII. 

The  Greeks  erelong  the  wretched  Helen  found, 

They  bore  her  hastily  into  a  tent,     . 
With  hands  and  feet  in  triple  cordage  bound, 

And  in  their  wrath  at  once  they  would  have  sent 

Her  soul  to  Hades  for  its  punishment; 
But  holy  Calchas  said:  "It  must  not  be, 

She  hath  a  spirit  new,  a  new  intent, 
And  of  her  guilty  life  she  now  is  free." 

LXIII. 
"  She  hath  her  evil  deed  in  full  undone, 

She  is  renewed  by  her  contrition  deep, 
And  her  young  days  of  blamelessness  hath  won; 

Troy  could  no  longer  changed  Helen  keep, 

Yet  with  her  lost  it  lies  a  burning  heap; 
Home  she  will  now  return  without  a  stain, 

Though  she  the  past  distress  will  oft  beweep, 
She  is  restored,  is  Helen  once  again," 


212  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

LXTV. 

So  spake  the  priest  of  her  mid  blazing  Troy. 

But  now  she  comes  to  seek  the  Delphic  fane, 
To  have  a  share  of  all  that  tearful  joy, 

A  share  of  the  great  loss  and  greater  gain, 

Of  all  those  sad  returns  to  learn  the  bane, 
To  learn  the  blessing  which  doth  renovate, 

Returning  Phoebus  here  to  greet  again, 
Beholding,  too,  a  God  regenerate. 

LXV. 
The  way  to  Delphi  ran  beside  the  sea, 

Which  gently  rose  and  seemed  to  stroke  the  shrine 
Of  Aphrodite  in  a  loving  glee, 

There  Helen  once  beheld  the  form  divine, 

And  from  the  lightning  heard  a  voice  malign 
Commanding  her  to  cross  to  Troy  the  wave : 

But  now  the  Goddess  showed  a  milder  sign, 
And  spake  in  tones  subdued  these  speeches  grave : 


CANTO  IV.  2 

LXVI. 

"  Oh  Helen,  I,  the  Goddess,  must  confess, 

In  thy  self-conquest  thou  hast  conquered  me; 
In  thy  great  struggle  felt  I  mine  own  stress, 

And  now  I  feel  that  I  must  change  with  thee, 

Or  yield  to  time  and  pale  mortality. 
My  Trojan  home  doth  lie  a  ruined  heap, 

All  me!  what  shall  I  do  henceforth  to  be? 
My  an  cient  throne  I  can  no  longer  keep. 

LXVII. 
"  With  all  the  Gods  old  Troy  I  have  to  leave, 

The  spirit  new  into  my  life  instil, 
Yet  I  must  not  me  of  myself  bereave, 

Love  must  not  perish;  Love  I  can  be  still, 

Though  all  transfigured  with  another  will, 
Which  binds  the  family  in  its  sweet  grace, 

Whence  Love  shall  flow  till  it  the  world  shall  fill, 
And  reaching  up,  it  shall  the  Gods  embrace." 


214  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXVIII. 

The  voice  had  ceased,  but  left  a  vision  strange, 

Upon  which  Helen  all  her  journey  thought; 
A  God  has  then  along  with  man  to  change, 

To  be  a  God  who  man  has  truly  taught, 

To  be  the  spirit  into  spirit  caught; 
From  him  eternally  the  transformation 

Into  man  and  world  is  overwrought, 
That  he,  the  God,  be  one  in  all  mutation. 

LXIX. 
So  Argive  Helen  came  through  guilt  to  thought; 

The  bottom  of  her  mystery  to  find 
By  looking  deep  into  herself  she  sought; 

But  quickly  out  the  reaches  of  her  mind 

The  thought  would  flit,  and  leave  all  dark  behind. 
Still  glimpses  flashed  through  mystic  meditation, 

Of  one  whose  love  of  self  took  in  her  kind, 
And  saw  her  own  in  man's  salvation. 


CANTO    IV.  215 

LXX. 

There  Helen  stands  amid  the  Grecian  throng, 
More  beautiful  she  seemeth  than  before, 

She  shows  the  depth  which  conies  from  struggles  long, 
Not  youthful  bloom,  which  they  did  once  adore, 
But  all  the  wealth  that  flows  from  Time's  rich  store 

Seems  now  to  lie  within  her  graven  face, 

Whose  melting  lines  would  tremble  evermore, 

And  tender  throbs  would  follow  every  trace. 

LXXI. 
Again  the  Grecian  heroes  gather  round, 

Her  to  behold,  with  worship  in  the  heart; 
In  her  new  look  is  healed  the  last  old  wound, 

Each  knows  himself  to  be  of  her  a  part; 

He,  too,  of  destiny  had  felt  the  dart 
For  sharing  in  the  guilt  of  Trojan  life; 

Yet  was  a  wiser  man  for  all  the  smart, 
When  he  to  harmony  returned  from  strife. 


216  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXII. 

Then  came  the  bard  with  harp  and  tuneful  voice, 
Began  to  touch  the  sure  responsive  string, 

Which  with  his  note  would  weep  or  would  rejoice; 
He,  too,  had  been  at  Troy  and  felt  the  sting, 
He  knew  the  triumph  and  the  suffering; 

He,  too,  had  thence  returned,  in  deed  and  song; 
His  deep-changed  strain  he  now  began  to  sing, 

As  he  stood  up  before  her  in  the  throng; 

LXXIII. 

"O  Helen,  I  am  old,  and  I  am  blind, 

My  human  strength,  I  feel,  is  nearly  spent; 

But  I  have  left  in  clearer  sight  my  mind, 
Thee  to  behold  still  supereminent, 
And  see  new  glories  in  thy  beauty  blent; 

Thou  hast  preserved  all  of  thine  ancient  treasures, 
And  to  them  pain  and  gain  of  life  hast  lent; 

Fair  thou  art  now  beyond  my  Grecian  measures. 


CANTO   IV.  217 

LXXIV. 

"I  sang  thy  youth  in  wildest  strains  of  youth, 

Upon  my  line  I  put  thy  precious  bloon, 
Thy  beauty  was  for  me  the  highest  truth, 

For  aught  but  thee  the  world  had  not  the  room ; 

I  knew  not  then  the  silent  spreading  doom 
Which  over  thee  and  over  me  was  hung, 

That  we  must  march  not  to,  but  through  tomb, 
Return  alive  once  more,  though  old,  yet  young. 

LXXV. 
"  Oh  might  I  see  again  what  once  I  saw, 

The  hill  and  sky  and  sea,  the  Earth's  sweet  flower ! 
Behold  thee  beautiful  without  a  flaw, 

And  feel  thee  flash  into  my  sight  the  power 

Whose  spell  into  a  moment  makes  the  hour! 
My  Grecian  clime  without  mine  eye  ie  cold, 

It  seemeth  to  have  lost  Time's  fairest  dower; 
Oh  Helen,  I  am  blind  and  I  am  old. 


218  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER 

LXXVI. 

"But  I  must  stop  the  Muse  of  aged  regret, 
And  sing  what  recompense  the  Gods  bestow: 

The  senses'  wilder  rapture  is  now  let, 

The  sunset  calm,  but  not  the  sunrise  glow 
Is  mine;  the  less  I  see,  the  more  I  know; 

Now  might  I  build  of  thy  return  the  lay : 
I  sing  no  more  the  Battle's  overthrow, 

The  ecstasy  of  Joy,  or  Love's  light  play. 

LXXVH. 
"I  have  returned,  my  song  has  too  returned, 

In  tender  mood  from  furious  Trojan  vein; 
It  has  in  thine  its  own  new  world  discerned, 

And  tunes  to  thy  deep  soul  its  inward  strain, 

That  the  great  loss  doth  bring  the  greater  gain; 
And  all  these  Grecians  have  returned  with  thee, 

Not  over  Troy  we  chant  the  loud  refrain, 
But  over  our  own  selves  the  victory. 


CANTO  IV.  219 

LXXVIII. 

"  But  there  is  one  whom  still  I  deeply  miss, 
The  one  who  gave  herself  for  Hellas  free, 

Whom  as  a  little  maid  I  oft  would  kiss, 
When  at  the  hearth  she  sat  upon  my  knee, 
And  listened  rapt  to  childhood  minstrelsy; 

The  consecrated  one  of  all,  I  say; 

She  must  return  to  home  as  well  as  we, 

Return  to  feast  with  us  this  very  day." 

LXXIX. 
Out  of  the  multitude  then  Helen  moved, 

She  felt  upheld  in  hope  by  bard's  strong  word, 
And  all  its  truth  in  her  own  bosom  proved; 

Yet  she  too  felt  the  selfsame  loss  which  stirred 

Him  to  the  tender  tuneful  plaint  she  heard, 
Till  sense  of  loss  turned  one  still  cry  for  her 

Who  always  gave  herself  for  those  who  erred, 
But  in  her  own  life  never  once  did  eiT. 


220  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXX. 

So  tender  flowed  the  thoughts  of  that  high  dame, 
That  from  them  fell  to  earth  a  tearful  dew; 

Unto  the  border  of  the  throng  she  came, 

There  she  beheld  a  face  she  thought  she  knew, 
She  stopped,  astonished  at  the  sudden  view, 

As  if  she  saw  a  spirit  in  the  air; 

And  when  her  stricken  speech  she  could  renew, 

She  spake  unto  that  face  before  her  there  : 

LXXXI. 
"Iphigenia,  my  hope,  hast  thou  returned? 

And  with  the  other  Greeks  art  weeping  here  ? 
For  thee  alone  we  all  just  now  have  yearned, 

And  yet  my  sense  of  sight  I  have  to  fear — 

Mine  eye  doth  paint  thy  picture  on  its  tear; 
Returned  thou  hast  from  a  much  further  land 

Than  Troy,  I  ween;  from  Hades  drawest  near, 
To  make  once  more  complete  our  earthly  band." 


CANTO    IV.  221 

LXXXII. 

"Ah  yes;  thou  hast  returned  whence  none  return, 
Thou  art  the  shade  my  longing  makes  of  thee; 

Thy  life  on  earth  to  live  I  daily  burn; 
But  thou  hast  burst  the  last  captivity, 
And  wilt  no  more  the  tomb's  dark  vassal  be; 

Thou  hast  returned,  I  hear  thy  highest  call, 
Now  first  I  feel  that  I  am  truly  free, 

Thou  hast  returned  from  death,  to  save  us  all." 

LXXXIII. 
She  spake  the  hintful  words,  yet  scarcely  durst 

Draw  near  and  touch  in  love  the  ghostly  hand; 
Yet  Helen  was  of  all  the  Greeks  the  first 

To  recognize  her  strange  in  her  own  land, 

What  lay  in  her  return  to  understand; 
Of  womanhood  the  twain  most  different — 

Yet  in  one  plan  complete  they  both  were  planned, 
Two  lives  in  one  great  providence  were  blent. 


222  AGAEMMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXXIV. 

The  one  through  deepest  fall  could  highest  rise, 

And  from  her  stain  become  once  more  unstained; 
The  other  rose  through  perfect  sacrifice, 

Without  the  fall  she  stainless  aye  remained; 

Yet  each  of  them  her  own  true  good  attained, 
Each,  only  through  the  other  grew  complete, 

Both  sides  were  one,  in  thought  divine  contained; 
Now  speaks  the  seeming  ghost  in  language  meet : 

LXXXV. 
"  I  am  the  same  and  I  was  never  slain, 

To  Lower  Hades  I  have  yet  to  go, 
Where  dark  Persephone  doth  hold  her  reign; 

Yet  through  one  Hades  I  have  passed  in  wo, 

I  have  come  back  to  tell  you  what  I  know; 
In  far  barbaric  world  has  been  my  stay, 

Where  I  was  borne  divinely  long  ago, 
When  I  at  Aulis  vanished  out  the  day. 


CANTO    IV. 

LXXXVI. 

"  But  tell,  what  sad  yet  happy  time  is  this, 
Wherein  ye  make  the  noble  festival  ? 

I  feel  the  sorrow  mingled  in  the  bliss, 
A  mellow  joy  that  ripens  from  the  fall, 
A  gain  that  doth  its  very  pain  recall; 

A  melting  change  flows  out  the  common  heart, 
Ye  Greeks  must  well  have  tasted  of  the  gall, 

But  the  old  wound  renews  a  better  part. 

LXXXVII. 
"I  think  now  of  another  holiday, 

The  last  I  saw  in  high  Mycenae's  hall, 
When  Paris  thither  bent  his  doomf  ul  way, 

And  every  Grecian  soul  he  made  his  thrall. 

Who  in  the  glances  of  his  eye  might  fall; 
Yet  would  I  not  a  single  person  name, 

We  all  were  blind,  the  guilt  belonged  to  all, 
And  to  the  Gods  we  have  re-paid  the  blame. 


224  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

LXXXVIII. 

"But  now  we  are  restored  to  Greece  at  last, 

Though  while  we  sing  with  joy,  we  have  to  weep, 

For  with  us  we  have  brought  all  of  the  past; 
What  we  have  won,  we  shall  forever  keep, 
And  the  full  harvest  of  our  sorrows  reap; 

Here  shall  we  gather  on  Apollo's  hill, 

Where  rests  the  sacred  sun  upon  the  steep, 

And  Harmony  flows  down  to  Muses'  trill." 

LXXXIX. 
From  Helen,  then,  the  people  turn  away, 

And  Helen  turns,  in  deep  devotion's  flush, 
As  to  some  sky-descended  God  to  pray, 

Round  Iphigenia  all  begin  to  rush, 

It  seems  as  if  they  will  the  woman  crush, 
They  seek  to  near  the  center  of  their  life, 

Yet  all  those  fervid  souls  with  awe  are  hush, 
Transfigured  to  her  spirit  out  of  strife. 


CANTO    IV.  225 

xc. 
They  choose  her  priestess  of  Apollo's  fane, 

The  oracle  she  will  henceforth  declare; 
The  double  word  she  will  to  men  explain, 

Of  breath  divine  she  also  hath  a  share; 

She  will  inform  with  speech  the  Delphic  air, 
And  add  thereto  a  measure  musical; 

The  true  Hellenic  spirit  everywhere 
She  feels,  then  speaks  it  clear  to  all. 

xci. 
In  her  the  new  Apollo  finds  his  speech, 

Not  he  who  once  against  the  Greeks  did  fight, 
But  he  who  will  his  faithful  people  teach 

The  word  of  wisdom,  and  the  deed  of  right; 

He  hath  become  the  God  of  inner  light, 
Transformed  from  outer  sheen  of  Eastern  sun; 

When  back  to  Hellas  turned  his  glances  bright, 
Another  character  divine  he  won. 


226  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

xcn. 
As  once  the  self-same  God  in  daily  toil 

Served  King  Admetus  of  fair  Thessaly, 
And  labored  like  a  bondman  of  the  soil, 

Till  of  himself  he  wrought  a  being  free, 

And  rose  therefrom  into  a  deity; 
So  now  the  servile  Trojan  time  is  past, 

To  which  the  Grecian  god  was  held  in  fee; 
He  has  with  other  Greeks  returned  at  last. 

xcin. 
With  him  at  Delphi  all  was  else  transformed, 

The  very  stones  sprang  into  temples  rare, 
And  by  a  soul  divine  within  were  warmed, 

Each  block  sought  in  itself  to  be  the  fair 

White  fane,  which  perfect  rose  upon  the  air; 
To  music  sweet  the  shapeless  forms  were  trimmed, 

All  marched  in  place  out  of  their  rocky  lair, 
While  lofty  old  Parnassus  to  them  hymned. 


CANTO    IV.  227 

XCIV. 

And  helpless  marble  at  a  touch  would  spring 
Into  life-seeming  shapes  of  look  divine : 

The  Muses,  who  the  sweetest  strain  could  sing, 
Apollo  who  from  stone  began  to  shine, 
And  chant  his  Delphic  lay  with  Sisters  nine— 

Forth  Gods  would  start  at  Artist's  strong  command; 
He  only  smote  with  chisel  on  a  line, 

But  had  a  heart-stroke  beating  from  his  hand. 

xcv. 
There  is  the  transformation,  too,  of  man 

To  one  who  looks  before  and  looks  behind, 
Who  in  himself  doth  past  and  future  scan, 

Pours  all  the  vasty  world  into  his  mind, 

And  cannot  rest  till  in  it  truth  he  find; 
Who  trains  his  body,  too,  until  it  be 

The  semblance  beautiful  of  all  mankind, 
Revealed  in  games  and  dance  and  poesy. 


228  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

XCVI. 

The  Gods,  too,  were  transformed  in  that  great  time, 
They  broke  the  bound  which  everywhere  had  stood, 

And  upwards  rose  into  Olympian  prime, 
Cast  off  the  ugly  form  of  idol  rude, 
Which  could  but  show  the  brand  of  finitude; 

That  was  the  happy  hour  they  were  set  free, 

They  passed  from  lust  to  love,  from  greed  to  good, 

From  red  revenge  they  turned  to  charity. 

XCVII. 

And  Delphi  was  the  lofty  seat  thereof, 

The  bringer  of  the  mighty  transformation, 
Which  came  to  earth  and  man  and  Gods  above, 

It  was  of  all  the  world  a  new  creation, 

Whose  fragrance  sweetest  fell  on  that  Greek  nation; 
The  priestess  now  was  borne  into  her  place, 

To  bring  about  the  final  restoration, 
Which  would  the  Greek  unite  with  all  his  race. 


CANTO  IV.  229 

XCVIII. 

But  see !  what  new  procession  at  the  gate  ? 

It  moves  in  stately  march  into  the  fane, 
And  at  its  head  a  man  of  royal  state : 

Thoas  it  is,  the  king  with  all  his  train, 

In  vesture  tinct  with  many-shaded  grain, 
Not  in  white  play  of  Grecian  fold  on  fold, 

Whose  simple  ripple  flows  without  a  stain, 
But  decked  in  shifting  hues  and  shining  gold. 

xcix. 
Soon  in  the  train  the  swell  of  music  rose 

In  many  a  blending  tone  and  winding  turn, 
Which  leaped  up  with  the  joys,  dropped  with  the  woes, 

As  they  in  human  feeling  wordless  burn, 

Or  can,  unsatisfied  with  speech,  but  yearn; 
Then  voices  rose  together  in  a  cry 

Of  suffering,  or  song  of  struggle  stem, 
Wove  in  the  fancies  bright  of  minstrelsy. 


230  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

c. 
And  mighty  bards  were  in  that  lordly  train, 

Who  there  began  to  chant  around  the  king, 
In  measures  new,  a  strange  barbaric  strain, 

Whose  very  words  would  kiss  to  one,  and  cling, 

Yet  in  a  melody  were  ever  vanishing 
Out  of  the  world  of  sight  to  realms  unseen, 

As  they  would  hymn  the  noble  offering, 
Which  made  the  stream  of  time  flow  down  more  clean. 

ci. 
The  Greeks  looked  on  that  King  in  wonderment, 

He  was  all  what  they  were,  yet  he  was  more ; 
Unto  their  Art,  Humanity  he  lent, 

The  deepest  love  he  joined  to  widest  lore, 

In  him  the  Graces  gave  to  worth  their  store, 
In  him  had  vanished  quite  the  gentile  hate, 

Barbarian  he  would  the  Greek  restore, 
The  bound  of  nations  was  for  him  no  fate. 


CANTO  IV.  231 

on. 

They  asked  him  from  what  region  he  had  come, 
Whence  he  such  wisdom  in  his  life  had  learned; 

Was  it  the  gathered  treasures  of  his  home, 
Or  of  some  other  land  where  people  turned 
To  find  what  knowledge  sought,  what  virtue  earned? 

He  was  a  Greek,  yet  Greek  beyond  their  ken, 
In  him  a  brother  they  indeed  discerned, 

Yet  not  to  them  alone,  but  to  all  men. 

cm. 
To  queries  yet  unspoken,  Thoas  spake : 

"This  priestess  is  the  one  who  hath  us  taught 
And  all  our  world  the  spirit's  bond  to  break; 

She  came  to  us  a  sacrifice  unsought, 

When  she  to  altar  was  a  victim  brought 
By  her  own  people;  still  the  Taurians  say, 

An  image  fell  from  heaven,  that  hath  wrought 
Us  to  herself  by  her  long  priestly  stay. 


232  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

civ. 
"  She  hath  the  wild  barbarian  conquered, 

Not  by  the  vengeance  of  a  Trojan  war; 
The  savage  world  she  hath  in  triumph  led, 

But  not  enchained  to  a  prisoner's  car; 

No  city  sacked,  no  town  in  blackened  char, 
Doth  mark  her  path  like  ghostly  skeleton; 

She  to  her  soul  hath  changed  the  Near  and  Far, 
And  freedom  for  a  prisoned  world  hath  won. 

cv. 
"  Now  she  hath  come  to  save  her  own  fair  land, 

As  she  hath  saved  already  Barbary; 
Home  I  have  brought  her  with  this  grateful  band, 

I  see  no  more  in  Greek  an  enemy, 

The  surest  sign  whereof  is,  Here  am  I. 
Her  sacrifice  henceforth  the  Greeks  must  show, 

And  from  revenge  live  unto  charity, 
Which  out  the  bosom  doth  the  Furies  throw. 


CANTO  VI 


233 


cvi. 
"  When  Greeks  have  blotted  out  their  spirit's  bound, 

Which  them  from  Barbary  doth  separate; 
They  have  the  holy  medicine  then  found, 

Which  will  forever  cure  their  sickly  state, 

By  taking  off  that  outer  world  of  Fate; 
And  when  the  Furies  out  their  breast  they  cast, 

Pursuing  men  no  more  in  vengeful  hate, 
The  Furies  too,  will  cease  pursuit  at  last." 

CVII. 

At  this  strong  regal  word,  forth  from  the  train 

Orestes  stepped,  in  presence  magical; 
On  Delphic  sacred  ground  he  stood  again, 

From  which  he  once  had  fled  and  leaped  the  wall, 

And  ran  with  horrid  cries  funereal, 
By  snaky  Furies  down  the  rocks  pursued, 

Till  he  to  Tauris  had  obeyed  the  call: 
Now  of  the  monsters  freed,  he  calmly  stood. 


234  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

cvni. 
All  Greece  had  seen  his  spell  and  pitied  him, 

Yet  for  his  ransom  knew  not  what  to  do; 
For  Greeks  themselves  were  prey  to  vengeance  grim, 

As  well  as  he,  they  needed  pity  too; 

And  now,  when  they  beheld  Orestes  new, 
They  could  not  think  that  he  was  truly  cured : 

Near  to  his  tranquil  countenance  they  drew, 
And  then  by  word  and  touch  themselves  assured. 

cix. 
It  was  a  time  of  wild  astonishment; 

Orestes  to  their  thousand  queries  said: 
"For  wise  Apollo's  sister,  Artemis,  I  went; 

I  trailed  the  mighty  sea  to  Tauris  dread, 

For  so  the  God's  deep  oracle  I  read; 
There  in  a  fane  was  spoke  the  flaming  word, 

Whose  light  at  once  me  out  of  madness  led, 
When  I  in  my  dark  trance  the  priestess  heard. 


CANTO  IV.  235 

ex. 
"  First  from  that  speech  myself  I  truly  learned, 

I  rose  renewed,  and  looked  in  vision  free; 
My  thought  flashed  forward,  backward,  in  me  burned, 

Till  all  the  circling  deed  I  seemed  to  see 

Take  in  the  past,  take  in  futurity. 
I  saw  the  vengeance  which  man  wreaks  on  man        . .  , 

Turn  back  on  him,  and  the  avenger  be; 
His  curse  on  others  is  but  his  own  ban. 

CXI. 

"  That  priestess  strange  I  found  to  be  my  sister, 

Whom  I,  perturbed,  knew  not,  but  deemed  as  dead, 
Since  that  dark  day  the  Greeks  at  Aulis  missed  her 

From  Dian's  temple,  whither  she  was  led. 

This  is  the  sister  whom  the  God  instead 
Of  stony  idol  means  to  be  adored; 

Through  her  the  f anged  Furies  from  me  fled, 
With  her  restored,  am  I  and  you  restored." 


236  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

CXII. 

His  word  was  done,  but  hark !  what  gnashing  throng 
In  maddened  wind  which  out  of  Delphi  blows ! 

And  in  that  wind  is  heard  a  wailing  song 
Which  weaker,  weaker  in  the  distance  grows, 
Yet  wrathful  still,  as  strain  of  dying  foes. 

The  pang  of  banishment  that  voice  doth  wring, 
And  with  it  other  voices  mingle  woes; 

List,  list !    Again  the  Fates  and  Furies  sing : 

CXIII. 

"Farewell,  oh  lovely  Delphi,  our  last  seat ! 

Oh  Hellas  dear,  our  ancient  home,  farewell ! 
The  bitter  hour  has  come  for  our  retreat, 

In  Thoas'  word  we  Fates  have  heard  our  knell, 

The  outer  world  we  can  no  more  compel; 
Orestes,  too,  hath  gained  anew  his  powers, 

The  inner  world  we  Furies  cannot  quell, 
We  both  are  lost,  man  is  no  longer  ours." 


CANTO  IV.  237 

CXIV. 

Behind  the  Delphic  mountain  soon  they  sank, 

Into  its  caverns  deep  they  darkly  sped; 
Castalian  waters  they  no  longer  drank, 

Nor  threatened  happy  Delphi  overhead; 

The  holy  priestess  has  them  banished, 
Where  still  by  mountain  dwarfs  they  are  adored; 

For  Fates  and  Furies  are  not  wholly  dead, 
Though  Agamemnon's  daughter  be  restored. 

cxv. 
But  now  in  Delphi  breathes  another  strain, 

Which  rises  out  the  rill  of  Castaly, 
And  sings  through  vines  and  olive  groves  again, 

With  its  sweet  cadence  wreathes  the  farthest  sea; 

It  is  the  joyous  strain  of  Muses,  free 
From  savage  monsters,  which  did  them  affray; 

For  with  the  priestess  won  they  liberty, 
And  thus  they  hymned  her  and  themselves  that  day: 


238  AGAMEMNON'S  DAUGHTER. 

CXVI. 

"Now  hast  thou  made  thy  deed,  thyself  complete, 
Not  till  thou  hast  removed  man's  narrow  bound, 

Can  we  in  song  thine  own  fair  freedom  greet, 
Thy  brother's  limits  must  thine  own  be  found, 
Thou  shalt  not  stand,  till  he  rise  from  the  ground ; 

In  freeing  him,  thou  art  thyself  set  free, 
Thy  sacrifice  hath  to  thyself  come  round, 

And  through  another  hath  perfected  thee. 

CXVII. 

"We  sing  thine  Aulian,  Taurian,  Delphic  deed, 
Done  for  the  sake  of  Greek  and  all  mankind; 

But  in  the  deed  thou  hast  received  the  meed, 
Thou  art  now  whole  in  character  and  mind, 
Thou  and  the  world  one  harmony  designed, 

Of  human  life  thou  hast  well  won  the  height, 
All  in  thyself,  thyself  in  all  dost  find, 

And  show  what  man  will  be  in  his  own  right. 


CANTO  IV.  239 

CXVIII. 

"  Not  thou  alone,  all  are  to  be  made  whole, 

Each  being  on  the  earth  thine  image  true, 
And  in  his  own  reflect  thy  perfect  soul, 

As  thou  hast  done,  will  he  forever  do. 

Yet  to  us  rises  a  still  vaster  view : 
The  nations  shall  renounce  for  one  another, 

Therein  like  thee,  shall  win  their  freedom  too, 
When  each  shall  look  on  each  as  its  own  brother." 

cxix. 
Such  strains  rose  out  the  fount  where  Muses  dwell, 

Last  herald  of  the  newer  minstrelsy; 
The  perfect  image  floating  in  their  well 

Did  rise  and  walk  into  the  mortal  eye, 

Clad  in  the  vesture  Time  shall  on  it  try, 
Transfigured  into  music  and  sweet  grace; 

And  all  therein  the  mightier  semblance  could  descry: 
The  man's,  the  nation's,  and  the  world's  one  face. 


14  DAY  USE 

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